About Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult.
Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult., commonly called tassel three-awn, and known as Aapstertsteekgras in Afrikaans, is a species of grass. It is native to all provinces of South Africa, plus Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Mozambique. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) Red List assesses this species as "safe". SANBI recognizes two subspecies: Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult. subsp. congesta, and Aristida congesta Roem. & Schult. subsp. barbicollis (Trin. & Rupr.) De Winter. This plant is a thick perennial tussock grass that reaches a height of 10 to 75 cm. Its leaves may be either flat or folded. Its plumes measure 3 to 20 cm in length. The spikelets of this grass have uneven husks; the widest part of the spikelet is the upper portion, which measures 6.5 to 10 mm across. Aristida congesta grows in deciduous woodland located on rocky slopes and weathered areas.
