Hairy Tridens , Hairy Woollygrass
Erioneuron pilosum (Buckley) Nash
Poaceae
Description
This low, tufted grass has erect, slender stems, usually with only one node above the basal cluster of leaves. The blades are narrow, often folded at the mid-vein, fuzzy, grayish-green with white margins, and pointed at the tip. The ligule is a fringe of hairs. The short, dense, club-shaped panicles are purple to white. Seedheads are 0.75 to 2 inches or 1.9 to 5 cm in length. Spikelets are 0.5 to 0.75 inches or 1.2 to 1.9 cm in length with 7 to 18 closely spaced, hairy florets. Lemmas and paleas have distinct fuzzy, soft, white hair. Bloom time occurs from April to October. Hairy Tridens is a perennial, warm-season, native ranging from 4 to 12 inches or 10 to 30 cm tall. Poor grazing for livestock and wildlife. Seeds are consumed by granivorous bird species, and small mammals can use the plant for nesting material.Habitat
Grows on dry, gravelly, shallow soil and invades overgrazed areas. Native habitat includes well-drained limestone, sand, and caliche within rangelands and pastures. Hairy Woollygrass is abundant in far West Texas and the Edwards Plateau on prairies and disturbed locations.Images
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Stem Texture: Hairy
Growth Habit: Bunch grass, Grasses
Leaf Shape
: Simple with Pinnate or Parallel Venation
Season: Warm
Distribution
: 01 - Pineywoods, 02 - Gulf Prairies and Marshes, 03 - Post Oak Savannah, 04 - Blackland Prairies, 05 - Cross Timbers and Prairies, 06 - South Texas Plains, 07 - Edwards Plateau, 08 - Rolling Plains, 09 - High Plains, 10 - Trans-Pecos
Distributions
Distribution refers to the ecological region in Texas that a plant has been found. You can also view a clickable map.
Book: Know Your Grasses (B-182)
Collection: Grasses
