needle-grass

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun Aristida fasciculata, a grass of the dry country from Texas to Montana, constituting on some poor lands in Texas a largo element in the forage. The long, straight beards of the spikelets sometimes penetrate the skin or intestines of lambs, but the loss is less than the value of the pasturage. Also called purple beard-grass and dog-town grass. Associated with this under the same name is A. coarctata.
• noun One of several species of Stipa, especially S. comata, a common bunch-grass of the dry mesas and foot-hills of the Rocky Mountain region, where it is abundant and affords valuable forage. The awns of this grass also cause some trouble. They are long and flexuous and have suggested the name needle-and-thread. Other needle-grasses of this genus are S. Lettermanni, S. Nelsoni, and S. Tweedyi. The porcupiue-grass, S. viridula, is locally called by the same name.