Sleepy grass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sleepy grass |
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| Line drawing of Achnatherum robustum from Lamson-Scribner's American grasses (illustrated), 1899 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Achnatherum
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| Species: |
robustum
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Sleepy grass, also known by its scientific name Achnatherum robustum, is a type of grass. It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It belongs to the Poaceae family, which is the big family of grasses. This plant gets its common name, "sleepy grass," from how it can affect animals that eat it.
Where Sleepy Grass Grows
Sleepy grass likes to grow in dry soil. You can find it in many parts of the United States. It grows across the Midwest, including states like South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. It also grows further west in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. You can even find it in Hawaii!
How Sleepy Grass Affects Animals
Sleepy grass can sometimes make animals feel drowsy or sleepy. This happens when the grass has a special kind of fungus living inside it. This fungus is from a group called Neotyphodium.
When the fungus grows inside the sleepy grass, it makes certain natural chemicals. These chemicals are what can make mammals, like horses or cattle, feel sleepy if they eat the infected grass. It's a way the plant and fungus interact in nature.
