A medium tall grass with relatively wide leaves with a white midvein. Inflorescence a large very open cluster of narrow wiry sub-clusters. Flowers shiny purple, becoming brown as they mature into seedheads. Blooms in late summer.

A lovely native grass whose purple flowers toss fetchingly in the wind. It thrives in disturbed open areas in woodlands. In Wildwood it is very common in the Great South Meadow.

Easily identified by its purple flowers in very open clusters and its late summer blooming period.