Family: Poaceae, Grass view all from this family

Description The numerous spikelets of this grass are arranged along one side of stalks that rise above a curly mass of very thin leaves.
Flowers: tiny, lacking petals; stamens 3; styles 2. Flowers enclosed by scales, the scales grouped into spikelets about 1/4" (6 mm) long; spikelets clustered in spikes up to 2" (5 cm) long.
Leaves: 3-6" (7.5-15 cm) long, 1/12" (2 mm) wide; smooth.
Height: 6-20" (15-50 cm).

Flower July-September.

Habitat Prairies.

Range Manitoba, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; south to Illinois, Missouri, and Texas; west beyond our range.

Discussion This is an important, drought-resistant, short grass in the mixed prairies and throughout the Great Plains and the Southwest. It can be confused with Hairy Grama Grass (B. hirsuta), which is distinguished by a sharp point extending beyond the florets. A somewhat similar but shorter species, Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides), is usually less than 6" (15 cm) high and is typical of dry, short-grass plains.