Allergy Information

Tripsacum species have modest pollen shed and limited pollen allergenicity when not common. However, it has been found to be a significant allergy plant in areas where it is more common, such as in Hawaii.

Genus Details

Eastern gamma grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) is a perennial found primarily in the eastern and Great Plains regions of the U.S. Gamma grass is a common pasture grass or forage crop. Gamma grass species are tall stout perennials (3' to 8' in height) with broad, flat leaves (12" in length).

Pollen Description

Grains are spheroidal to ovoidal, sometimes elliptical. The exine is thin and the surface is granular to finely reticuloid. Poaceae apertures are 1-porate, with the pores usually circular to ovoidal.

Grains are 22-122 micrometers in diameter.

Genus Distribution

The shaded areas on the map indicates where the genus has been observed in the United States.

- Native, observed in a county 

- Introduced, observed in a county 

- Rarely observed