Hairy tridens

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Hairy tridens inflorescence

Hairy tridens spikelets

Hairy tridens spikelets

Hairy tridens spikelets

Hairy tridens inflorescences

Hairy tridens

Hairy tridens

Hairy tridens inflorescence

Hairy tridens

Hairy tridens habit

Hairy tridens blade

Hairy tridens

Morphology

Culm

Erect to ascending, slender, solid, unbranched, compressed, glabrous to rough or minutely hairy; usually with 1 node above basally clustered leaves.

Blades

Occur principally near base; folded to flat, erect, thick, linear, .8 to 3.2 inches long, less than 1/12 inch wide, soft-hairy; margins conspicuously thick, whitish; midrib thickened, whitish below; tips abruptly pointed to blunt.

Sheath

Shorter than internodes, keeled, often soft-hairy at collar; margins finely fringed.

Ligule

Fringe of very short hairs.

Inflorescence

Panicle, short, contracted, .2 to 1.6 inches long, .6 to .8 inch broad, pale to purplish; branches few, short, 3-4 spikelets per branch.

Spikelets

Crowded, 6-14-flowered, 2/5 to 3/5 inch long, 1/8 to 1/3 inch wide, compressed; glumes narrow, boat-shaped, glabrous, tapering to points, 1-nerved, nerve sometimes extending as short awn; lemmas pointed to slightly notched, densely silky-hairy with long white hairs near base and on margins and nerves, midrib extending as short awn

Ecology

Habitat

Pastures, prairies, disturbed sites, rocky hills, and roadsides; dry gravelly, sandy or rocky soil.

Distribution

West 1/2 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Forage Value

Poor forage for livestock and wildlife.

Additional Notes

Synonyms

Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.