Squirrel Tail
Stipa comata

A deep-rooted, long-lived, native bunchgrass that occurs generally on the western ranges and most abundantly on the sandy soils of the Northern Great Plains. It grows in almost pure stands as an invader on some of the abandoned croplands of the Plains. It derives its name from the appearance of the seed, which is sharp-pointed and has a long, bent, twisted, threadlike awn that looks like a threaded sewing needle.

Copyright 1948, United States Department of Agriculture