Dwarf Feather Grass

Stipa capillata

The seeds possess hygroscopic awns that twist when wet and untwist when dry, effectively drilling the seed into the earth automatically.

Scientific name: Stipa capillata
Taxonomy: Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Poales › Poaceae › Stipa
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: grassland
Habitat: Dry steppes, rocky slopes, and semi-arid grasslands with well-drained soils.
Diet: Photosynthetic (Sunlight, CO2, water, and soil minerals).
Range: Central Europe, Central Asia, Siberia, Northern China, Himalayas
Size: 40-90 cm in height
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Active: diurnal
Threats: Conversion of natural grasslands to intensive agriculture and overgrazing by livestock.
Safe to approach?: Harmless. The long, needle-like awns can cling to clothing or cause minor skin irritation; avoid walking through dense patches in shorts. If seeds attach to skin, remove them manually.

Stipa capillata is a perennial bunchgrass species in the family Poaceae, native to Europe and Asia.

Photo: Вячеслав Юсупов, CC-BY, via iNaturalist