General:
Perennial, tufted grass from fibrous roots; stems 25-70 cm tall.

Leaves:
Sheaths open; blades in-rolled, 0.1-1 mm wide and usually wavy when dry; ligules on the lower leaves 1.5-7.5 mm long, tapering to sharp points, the upper ligules to 2 mm long.

Flowers:
Inflorescence an open, spreading panicle, 9-20 cm long, the unequal branches and flower stalks spreading wide; spikelets single at the end of each flower stalk; glumes 5-9 mm long, rounded at the base and tapering above the middle to points, with short, stiff hairs throughout; lemmas 3-4 mm long, densely hairy, the hairs 2.5-6 mm long, awned, the stout awns 3-6 mm long, the first segments rough or short-hairy, deciduous at maturity; paleas almost as long as the lemmas; calluses 0.4-1 mm long, sharp.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Flower Colour:
Yellow

Blooming Period:
Late Spring

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Spring to Summer

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Eriocoma cuspidata Nutt.
Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem. & Schult.) Ricker ex Piper
Stipa hymenoides Roem. & Schult.