Piptochaetium pringlei

Pringle's Speargrass

Field view of Piptochaetium pringlei or Pringle's Speargrass.

The leaves are flat and the seedheads are narrow and spike-like.

This inflorescence shows its branches and awns.

Long and spike-like but obviously branched and awned.

You can see the young, fairly straight awns, which will bend at maturity. A couple anthers are showing.

Older awns have a double bend and they sometimes curl.

Closer view of the spikelets.

Here two spikelets have their awns twisted a bit like Tanglehead but not enough to fool you.

Messy leaves, roots, and stems.

How to Identify Pringle's Speargrass

  Pringle's Speargrass (Piptochaetium pringlei) is a perennial grass of oak woodlands in the mountains. It is about 2-4 feet tall. The leaves are flat, not rolled. The seedhead is rather spike-like and elongate, about 4 inches long or so. The florets are well over 1/4 inch long and can be almost an inch. It is awned and when mature it has bent awns twisted below the bends. The appearance of the seedhead with its 3/4 inch awns is fairly diagnostic.

Similar Species

  Tall Oatgrass (Arrhenatherum elatius) is a rather similar grass of the high country, having 3/4 inch bent awns. But Tall Oatgrass awns arise at the base of the florets like Wild Oats, while Pringle's Speargrass awns start at the tip of the floret like most grasses. Also, Tall Oatgrass has a fuller seedhead of slender panicle shape.
  A more difficult look-alike is Piptochaetium fimbriatum (Pinyon Ricegrass), a close relative but having smaller florets always less than 1/4 inch long instead of 1/2 to 3/4 inch like Pringle's Speargrass. Pinyon Ricegrass leaf blades are usually slender and rolled.