Jointed goat grass is so closely related to wheat it can actively hybridize with it, reducing the quality of the the crop and making A. cylindrica an agricultural nuisance. Another problem with these two species being so closely related is that and herbicide used to kill the goat grass will also kill the wheat. But when not in a wheat field and in your yard, this grass has a goofy appearance so unique that it is easy identified for a grass. This species is native to Eurasia and is an annual. It widely distributed in the west and midwest of the US, but less so in the southeast.
The inflorescence is a single spike giving the species its unique appearance. The leaves are hairy and there is a small auricle.
The inflorescence is a single spike giving the species its unique appearance. The leaves are hairy and there is a small auricle.