Grass Description
Dry sandy soil, disturbed sites.
General Description
Plants are annuals or short-lived perennials. Weak spreading stems form mats with deep, well-developed roots. Growth starts early, adding to the competitiveness of this weedy grass.
Annual with spreading seedhead stems; simple spike-like seedheads of spiny burs; burs sometimes crowded on the seedhead, representing 2 spikelets that have coalesced and have many flat spines; flat blades; sometimes freely branching and forming mats.
Flower Characteristics
Seedheads are dense, compact spikes bearing 12 to 27 stiff, spiny burs. Spikelets are usually two-flowered and purplish.
Vegetative Characteristics
Blades are flat or folded. Stems are somewhat flattened and often purplish colored at the base. Stems are often bent and jointed.
Poor palatability for wildlife, but the song bird Pyrrhuloxia eats the seeds.