Tanglehead Grass (Heteropogon contortus)

   

Flowering stalk of Heteropogon contortus. Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, University of Texas at El Paso. Photograph by Wynn Anderson.

• Common English Names: Tanglehead Grass
• Common Spanish Names:
• Scientific Name: Heteropogon contortus (HET-ter-go-POH-gone con-TOR-tus)
• Family: Poaceae (Grass Family)
• Geographic Range: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida and south into Latin America.
• Plant Form: Tussock forming perennial to 1-3 feet tall.
• Remarks: Seeds able to burrow into the soil, but also become tangled into thick animal fur, such as the wool of sheep.

Last Update: 20 Aug 2013