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See
close-up of the male spikelets located at
the lower 'fluffy-white' section of the inflorescence, and the female
spikelets entangled together by the twisted (or contorted) awns
at the apex above.
Awns are commonly found in the grass tribe, Andropogoneae. In fact,
this coastal grass used to be called Andropogon contortus.
The female spikelets remain entangled together by the twisted awns
at maturity, and drop collectively as a single unit from the grass
plant. They may then be picked up by a gusty wind and tumble away
like a Spinifex, or get attached to a passing
animal for dispersal. The idiom, 'Two heads are better than one',
certainly holds true here ! |
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