Plains bristlegrass
Setaria leucopila
Poaceae
Description
This plant is pale green. Culms are flattened, often knee-like, branching at the base and lower joints. The blades are 1/8 to 2/5 inch wide, often folded, and rough on the back. The panicle is slim, bristly, and narrowed at the top, often looking like an old, worn bottle brush. There is usually one bristle attached below each spikelet.
Plains bristlegrass is a perennial, warm-season, native - 12 to 48 inches tall.
Good grazing for livestock. Fair grazing for wildlife. Seeds are excellent food for birds.
Habitat
Grows in open, dry ground and under the protection of brush in overgrazed areas. Often seeded on rangeland after mechanical brush control.
Images
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Stem Texture: Hairless/Smooth
Growth Habit: Bunch grass, Grasses
Season: Warm
Distribution
: 02 - Gulf Prairies and Marshes, 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
