Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Spiked False-oats
Trisetum spicatum (L.) Richter

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering: July-September
Field Marks: This tufted, hairy grass has spike-like panicles 1-6 inches long. The usually 2-flowered spikelets have lemmas with an awn that arises just below the tip of the lemma.
Habitat: Wet meadows, particularly in the high mountains.
Habit: Tufted perennial grass with fibrous roots.
Stems: Upright, unbranched, hollow, up to 2 feet tall, smooth or hairy.
Leaves: Elongated, flat or folded, up to 1/4 inch wide, usually hairy; ligules up to 1/6 inch long, ciliate, jagged at the tip.
Flowers: Borne in spikelets, the spikelets crowded into spike-like panicles 1-6 inches long; spikelets usually 2-flowered (sometimes 3),1/6-1/4 inch long, purplish to silvery; lemmas notched at the tip, with an awn arising just below the notch,
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior, smooth.
Grains: Ellipsoid, smooth.
Notes: This grass is an important forage species for domestic cattle in the high mountains.

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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/trisspic.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:17 EST
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