Perennial Threeawn, Purple Needle-Grass
Aristida purpurea Nutt. var. purpurea
Whole plant
Family : Poaceae
Longevity : Perennial
Origin : Native
Season : Warm
Purple Threeawn has three awns stemming from a densely tufted seedhead that measures 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches long. It stands roughly fourteen to thirty-one inches in height. Long hairs at the margin of the collar and the single stems of this plant help to tell it from other threeawns. Its habitat consists of sandy or clayey soils of the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains. Livestock may utilize this plant prior to the formation of seedheads, but for the most part it has poor economic value for both wildlife and livestock.
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