Needle-and-thread

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Needle-and-thread

Needle-and-thread

Needle-and-thread

Needle-and-thread

Needle-and-thread

Morphology

Culm

Erect, sparingly branched, hollow, glabrous or pubescent at nodes.

Blades

Flat or rolled inward, narrow, 2 to 16 inches long, less than 1/3 inch wide, conspicuously ridged, glabrous or rough.

Sheath

Usually longer than internodes, open, glabrous or rough, conspicuously veined.

Ligule

Membranous, tips pointed, notched at top.

Inflorescence

Narrow panicles, contracted or open, 4 to 20 inches long, bases usually enclosed in uppermost sheaths; branches slender, ascending.

Spikelets

Borne near tips of branches, 1-flowered, drooping at flowering; glumes .5 to 1.5 inch long, 3-5-nerved, tapered to slender tips; lemmas to 1/2 inch long, pale to brownish, lightly pubescent, stiff-hairy at bases; awns 4 to 8 inches long, bases with tiny crown of hairs, tightly coiled below, loosely coiled or zigzag near ends.

Ecology

Habitat

Dry prairies and pastures, on well-drained sandy or rocky soils.

Distribution

West 1/5 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Forage Value

Needle-and-thread has fair to good forage value for livestock prior to fruiting.

Uses

The Blackfoot noted the appearance of this grass to determine the best time to hunt bison.

Additional Notes

Synonyms

Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.