Leptochloa is a widespread genus of Asian, African, Australian, and American plants in the grass family.
Members of the genus are commonly known as sprangletops.
The generic name is derived from the Greek words ληπτος (leptos), meaning "thin," and χλοα (chloa), meaning "grass," referring to the inflorescences.
Species
Leptochloa aquatica Scribn. & Merr. - Mexico
Leptochloa asthenes (Roem. & Schult.) C.E.Hubb. - Australia
Leptochloa barbata (Desv.) Nicora - Paraguay, Argentina
Leptochloa caudata (K.Schum.) N.W.Snow - East Africa
Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees – Asian sprangletop, Chinese sprangletop - eastern + southeastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, eastern + southern Africa Leptochloa chloridiformis (Hack.) Parodi – Argentine sprangletop - Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay Leptochloa coerulescens Steud. - Africa Leptochloa decipiens (R.Br.) Stapf ex Maiden – Australian sprangletop - Australia Leptochloa digitata (R.Br.) Domin - Australia Leptochloa divaricatissima S.T.Blake - Australia Leptochloa ligulata Lazarides - Queensland Leptochloa longa Griseb. - Panama, Trinidad Leptochloa malayana (C.E.Hubb.) Jansen ex Veldkamp - Thailand, Borneo, Malaysia Leptochloa monticola Chase - Hispaniola Leptochloa mucronata (Michx.) Kunth - south-central USA, Mesoamerica, Bermuda, Trinidad, Netherlands Antilles, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Galápagos Leptochloa nealleyi Vasey - Mexico, southern USA (Arizona, Texas, Louisiana) Leptochloa neesii (Thwaites) Benth. - Australia, Maluku, Java, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka Leptochloa panicea (Retz.) Ohwi – mucronate sprangletop - Americas incl West Indies; tropical + subtropical Asia; naturalised in Africa, Australia etc. Leptochloa panicoides (J.Presl) Hitchc. - central + southeastern USA, Mesoamerica, Colombia, Peru, Brazil Leptochloa scabra Nees - from Alabama to Paraguay Leptochloa simoniana N.Snow - New Guinea, Queensland Leptochloa southwoodii N.Snow & B.K.Simon - Queensland Leptochloa squarrosa Pilg. - Tanzania (incl. Pemba), Comoros, Madagascar Leptochloa srilankensis N.Snow - Sri Lanka Leptochloa tectoneticola (Backer) Jansen ex Veldkamp - Cambodia, Thailand, Java Leptochloa virgata (L.) P.Beauv. – tropic sprangletop - from South Carolina to Paraguay Leptochloa viscida (Scribn.) Beal - California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua
Formerly included
see Arundinella Acrachne Bouteloua Chloris Coelachyrum Cynodon Desmostachya Dinebra Diplachne Disakisperma Eleusine Enteropogon Eragrostis Gouinia Gymnopogon Leptocarydion Myriostachya Pogonarthria Rostraria Trichoneura Trichloris Trigonochloa Tripogon