Field Guide to the Prairie

Photo: Joe Riederer	Porcupine Grass Stipa spartea Grass Family (Poaceae) Habitat/Range: Common in dry upland prairies of the northern tallgrass region, and occasionally southward to southern Missouri and southern Illinois.
Plants grow in small tufts, with unbranched stems up to 4 feet tall. The leaves are long and slender. Typically, there are hairs on the upper surfaces of the leaves. The seeds are narrow and long (.5-1 inch) with a sharp, pointed, furry base and a very long, twisting awn. Also called "Needle and Thread" grass because of its needle sharp fruit tip and long awn. The sharp-pointed seeds can injure livestock.
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