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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Tufted Hairgrass
Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering July-September
Field Marks: Species of Deschampsia have narrow leaves clustered at the base of the plant and delicately awned lemmas. Deschampsia cespitosa differs from other species in the genus by its perennial habit, its open panicles, and its
Habitat: Wet meadows, wet prairies, ditches, along streams, around lakes, particularly at high elevations.
Habit: Densely tufted perennial with short rhizomes.
Stems: Upright, smooth, up to 3 feet tall.
Leaves: Elongated, very narrow, mostly crowded near the base of the plant, flat or folded or even sometimes rolled up, 1/16-1/8 inch wide, rough to the touch.
Flowers: Usually 2 per spikelet, with many spikelets arranged in loose, often nodding panicles with thread-like branches, the panicle up to 8 inches long; spikelets usually purplish, shiny; lemmas with a slender awn up to 1/4 inch long.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior.
Grains: Smooth.
Notes: This species provides cover for quail and other birds.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/2/desccesp.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:23:52 EST
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