Ctenium elegans

Description

Grass Family (Poaceae). Toothache grass is a warm-season, perennial bunch grass. The height is between 2 and 3 feet. The leaf blade is 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, 6 to 10 inches long, pale green on bottom, and darker green on top. The leaf sheath is mostly basal and shorter than internodes. The ligule is small membrane with short hair. The stem, when erect, has an enlarged base and contains a substance that deadens the tongue and gums when chewed. The seedhead is a curved spike with spikelets sessile on one side of rachis, giving it a comb-like appearance.