Southern Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Aristida stricta Michx.
- Family: Grass (Poaceae)
- Flowering: August-October
- Field Marks: This is the only Aristida of wetlands that has densely hairy leaves on the upper surface near the base of the blade.
- Habitat: Low to high pinelands, flatwoods, wet prairies, boggy areas.
- Habit: Perennial, clump-forming grass.
- Stems: Upright, up to 4 feet tall, smooth.
- Leaves: Very long and narrow, folded together lengthwise, up to 1/12 inch wide, hairy on the upper surface near the base; sheaths hairy.
- Flowers: Borne in spikelets, the spikelets loosely arranged in a panicle up to 18 inches long.
- Spikelets: 1-flowered, bearing three awns up to 1/2 inch long, the two lateral awns usually spreading at right angles to the middle awn.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3.
- Pistils: Ovary superior.
- Grains: Very narrow.
- Notes: This species usually flowers only following burning.
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