Stipa comata

The sharp pointed seeds of Stipa comata

Strand of Stipa comata

Stipa comata found in open shrub land

Stipa comata is more commonly called and known as the needle and thread grass or needle grass and is named for the sharp needled seed, is a tufted perennial grass that can live up to ten years. These grasses are deep rooted, long lived, and drought tolerant. They are usually found and associated with western wheatgrass, blue grama, and the threadleaf sedge. The leaves of the Stipa comata are narrow and become inrolled as they mature. These leaves can grow up to 12 inches long and about 12.5 inches long. The Stipa comata is predominantly made up of basal leaves where the blades are usually smooth. The world Stipa comes from the Greek word “stipe” meaning “flaxen in appearance.” This refers to the shiny awns contained on the plant. The specific name of “comata” comes from the Latin word “coma” meaning head of hear which refers to the appearance the Stipa comata puts out as a tangled head of matured awns.

Seeds
The seeds of the Stipa comata are usually sharp-pointed and have long, twisted thread-like awns. The seeds germinate quickly where the stalks may reach up to 4 feet tall. The seed head is a rather narrow panicle 4 to 8 inches long, with the lower portion usually retained in the sheath. Because these seeds tend to be long and sharp-pointed they often are found lodged into animals’ skin.

Distribution and Climate
Stipa comatas usually grow in areas with less than 25 cm of precipitation annually and do very well on sandy to gravelly soils. This native grass is also widely distributed throughout the western United States and on the dry, sandy, gravelly soils of the northern plains. They sometimes extend into the mountains up to elevations between 4,000 and 8,500 feet which include the Great Rocky Mountains.

Uses
Stipa comata is widely adapted and has many useful characteristics. Some traditional uses include grinding the grass to produce fragrances or dyes. While this grass is not edible to humans it is cut as hay in some states where it rates as very good forage. Stipa comata is important to both the wildlife species and livestock. This grass can produce about 2,400 to 3,200 pounds of forage per acre. Elk and deer extensively graze and rely on it in the winter. The value to domestic livestock is dependent upon the time at which it is grazed. If grazed at the wrong time, when the awns are prominent, it can cause physical injury to the eyes, mouth, tongue, ears, and flesh of the livestock. Stipa comata can especially harm sheep and contaminate the wool. While the Stipa comata provides nutritious winter grazing for many animals it is not the preferred species.

One interesting fact is that American Indians used Stipa comata as a hair brush. The seeds were burned off and the stiff awns were bound together to form a brush.

Rachael Lanier, Fall 2007