Hilaria belangeri
Curly Mesquite
Family: Poaceae
Low tufted perennial grass reaching about a foot high though often lower. It forms a sod spreading by stolons which extend along the ground and root to grow new tufts. The grass has been known to spread 12’ in one season with ample moisture. This is the main method of reproduction in the plant because it is often sterile and rarely forms seeds.
Full sun best, though they can take some partial shade. Moderate water, though these plants can tolerate some drought.
This is a great grass for tortoise enclosures because it spreads fast, keeping up with the tortoise appetite (if watered correctly). Native grasses are extremely important plants for wildlife: as nesting material for birds as well as native bees and other insects, as habitat for many organisms, and as food: adult insects eat the foliage, granivorous birds depend on many species for seeds, and most grass species are used as larval hosts for many species of butterflies and moths, especially skippers. Many bee species collect the pollen of many species of grasses.
Hilaria belangeri on SEINET
Photo by Steve Jones, iNaturalist
Grasses also play an important role in the ecology of soil, and because they are monocots, they can be planted close to other species of plants (the nature of the root systems of monocots renders them less imposing on neighboring plants). They hold soil down and help prevent erosion. Many species are pioneer plants that convert disturbed soils into hospitable places for other plants.
This is an important forage for animals in some local regions. In central and western Texas, it is the main forage for cattle. Cattle find it very palatable. Wild ungulates such as pronghorn and deer graze on it. The grass is tolerant of grazing pressure, and even overgrazing. In some areas, it is productive early in the season, but most of its productivity occurs after summer rainfall.
Hilaria is named for Auguste St. Hilaire (1779-1853), a French naturalist; the specific epithet honors another French naturalist, Charles Paulus Belanger (1805-1881). There are 10 species of Hilaria found in the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala.
Rocky slopes, dry hillsides and sandy plains; 3,000-6,000 ft. in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Texas, and south into southern Mexico.
A plant with seedheads, photo by gwaithir, iNaturalist
Inflorescence detail, photo by Sue Carnahan, SEINET