Aristida purpurascens Poir.

Natural range:  Widespread, North America to Mesoamerica

Habitat:  Dry or moist soil.  

Florida status:  Native

Recognition:  Awns equally divergent and nearly equally long. Blades flat, 2-3 mm wide, curling (narrower in var. tenuispica).  Awns not contorted except in var. tenuispica.

Aristida purpurascens differs from A. palustris by having the lower glume < 9 mm long (vs. 9 mm or longer), a longer ligule (0.2 vs. 0.1 mm), and the central awn 8-25 (vs. 15-40) mm.  Lateral awns are subequal to the central awn in both species.  Aristida purpurascens differs further by tending toward curled (vs. not curled) leaf blades.