Aristida schiedeana

Single Threeawn

Aristida schiedeana or Single Threeawn	The seedheads tend to be almost spike-like.	The awns start out like typical threeawns, but above the usual lemma projection that supports the three awns, there is only one awn, bent off to the side.
The seedheads are rather spikelike and clustered.	Seedheads can lean to one side.	You can usually see the bent awn if you look closely.
The florets below the awns are elongate, with unequal glumes.	On the left is the base of the grass with seedheads cut off, showing long thin leaves.	The old leaves of a perennial grass remain at the base. Sometimes they curl.

How to Identify Single Threeawn

  First see if you can tell by the spindly, pointy look that it is a threeawn (Aristida) species. Then note the single bent awn. Quite a few grasses have bent awns, but this one looks just like one of the smaller threeawns that lost two awns.

Similar Species

  All threeawns are somewhat recognizable by their general spindly appearance. Two grow large and have stiff branches that emerge perpendicular to the stem and several inches apart, Spidergrass and the similar Poverty Threeawn. However, those shorter ones with bunched, almost spike-like seedheads, the ones that look like Single Threeawn, all have three awns of varying lengths.