Poaceae

Tanglehead

Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Heteropogon

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Common names

By language (12)

Afrikaans: Pylgras
Chinese: 扭黃茅, 扭黄茅, 黃茅, 地筋, 黄茅
English: Tanglehead, Pili grass, Spear grass, Twisted beardgrass, Black speargrass, Bunch speargrass, Bunched spear grass, Tanglehead grass
Finnish: Kierrevihnelatva
French: Herbe polisson, Hétéropogon contourné, Pili
Hawaiian: Lule, Pili
Japanese: ピリ, アカヒゲガヤ
lah: سریالہ
Malagasy: Ahidambo
Nepali: अर्थुङ्गे
Swahili: Kichoma-mguu
Thai: หญ้าหนวดฤๅษี, หญ้าหนวดฤาษี

Synonyms

Andropogon allionii DC.
Andropogon austrocaledonicus Vieill.
Andropogon bellardii Bubani
Andropogon besukiensis Steud.
Andropogon contortum L.
Andropogon contortus L.
Andropogon contortus subvar. hispidissimus Hack.
Andropogon contortus subvar. roxburghii (Arn. ex Nees) Hack.
Andropogon contortus subvar. secundus Hack.
Andropogon contortus var. breviaristatus Sennen
Andropogon contortus var. contortus
Andropogon contortus var. glaber (Hack.) Hack.
Andropogon contortus var. macroglumis Pilg.
Andropogon contortus var. maroccanus Maire
Andropogon firmus (J.Presl) Kunth
Andropogon glaber Raspail
Andropogon hispidissimus Steud.
Andropogon hohenackeri Hochst. ex Steud.
Andropogon messanensis Biv. ex Parl.
Andropogon polystachyos Roxb.
Andropogon secundus Griseb.
Heteropogon allionii Roem. & Schult.
Heteropogon allionii var. messanensis (Guss.) Lojac.
Heteropogon allionii var. secundus (Hack.) Fiori
Heteropogon besukiensis (Steud.) Miq.
Heteropogon contortus subvar. secundus (Hack.) Domin
Heteropogon contortus var. allionii (Roem. & Schult.) Cuénod
Heteropogon contortus var. contortus
Heteropogon contortus var. distichus C.E.C.Fisch.
Heteropogon contortus var. glaber Hack.
Heteropogon contortus var. hirtus (Pers.) Fenzl ex Hack.
Heteropogon contortus var. hispidissimus (Hack.) M.R.Almeida
Heteropogon contortus var. polystachyos (Roxb.) Deshp.
Heteropogon fertilis B.S.Sun & S.Wang
Heteropogon firmus J.Presl
Heteropogon fischerianus Bor
Heteropogon glaber Pers.
Heteropogon glaber var. messanensis (Guss.) Nyman
Heteropogon hirsutus P.Beauv.
Heteropogon hirtus Pers.

and 9 more.

Flowers

Flower colour: yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Hawaii: native, Lower 48 states: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Daderot, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Heteropogon

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.