Rough Hair or Fly Away Grass
Rough Hair-grass. Fly-away Grass. Agrostis hyemalis (Walt.) BSP.Root biennial.
Stem 1-2 1/2 ft. tall, erect, slender, not branched. Ligule 1"-2" long. Leaves 2'-6' long, 1/2"-1 1/2" wide, rough, basal leaves usually involute and bristle-form.
Panicle 6'-20' long, widely open, usually reddish purple; branches many, hair-like, rough, divided near the middle, spikelet bearing at the extremities, lower branches 3'-8' long. Spikelets 1-flowered, 1" long or less. Scales 3; outer scales nearly equal, acute, rough on keels; flowering scale obtuse; palet minute. Stamens 3, anthers small.
Dry or moist soil. June to August.
Throughout nearly the whole of North America, except in the extreme north.