Beargrass by photosynthesis

Photography • Flowers/Plants • posted on Aug 13, 2014

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Description

We saw lots of these growing at the end of long stalks all over Glacier National Park. I had never seen them before, so I asked a local & they told me it was called beargrass. Here's some info from Wikipedia: "Xerophyllum tenax is a perennial monocot in the family Melanthiaceae, closely related to lilies. It is known by a few common names, including bear grass, squaw grass, soap grass, quip-quip, and Indian basket grass. X. tenax is an important part of the fire ecology of regions where it is native. It has rhizomes which survive fire that clears dead and dying plant matter from the surface of the ground. The plant thrives with periodic burns and is often the first plant to sprout in a scorched area. This species was long used by Native Americans who wove it into baskets. Its fibrous leaves, which turn from green to white as they dry, are tough, durable, and easily dyed and manipulated into tight waterproof weaves. Plant colonies typically only bloom every five to seven years."