Oldfield threeawn
Aristida oligantha
Poaceae
Description
Grows in tufts and is branched at the base and nodes (freely branched above the base with age). The base is woolly. Leaf sheaths are smooth and rounded on the back. The open panicle has long, spreading awns of about equal length (2 to 3 1/2 inches). The lemma is also long. First and second glume persist after seed disperses.
Annual, warm-season, native - 12 to 24 inches tall.
Poor grazing for both livestock and wildlife.
Habitat
Grows in upland areas and increases on disturbed and overgrazed areas. Plant density is controlled by the amount of bare ground and by the amount of rainfall in spring and early summer.
Images
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual
Stem Texture: Hairless/Smooth
Growth Habit: Bunch grass, Grasses
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