Beargrass, sometimes called basketgrass, elkgrass, pinelily, soap- 

 grass, and squawgrass, is a rigid, tufted, evergreen, herbaceous peren- 

 nial plant of the bunchflower family (Melanthiaceae), 1 a group 

 which many botanists prefer to call a subfamily, or tribe (Melan- 

 thieae) of the lily family (Liliaceae). It is said that the name 

 beargrass refers to the fact that bears are reported occasionally to 

 dig up and eat the tuberous rootstocks in the early spring. The 

 generic name is derived from the Greek words aeeros^ dry, and 

 phyllon, leaf dry leaf, and refers to the dry, harsh, rigid leaves. 

 The specific name tenass is the Latin for holding fast, which refers 

 possibly to the use of the leaves for binding purposes and for basket 

 making. Beargrass, widely distributed in the mountains from Brit- 

 ish Columbia to California, Nevada, and Montana, is typically a 

 plant of the higher elevations from 3,000 up to about 8,000 feet above 

 sea level. However, strange to say, on the Olympic peninsula in 

 Washington, it appears at sea level, probably because of the cooling 

 effect of the ocean breezes. 



This plant grows in all types of soils but best on well-drained 

 slopes and ridges. Beargrass blooms in the spring on the lower 

 slopes and continues until snow falls around the edges of snow 

 banks at high altitudes. Although science does not know definitely, 

 the indications are that this plant does not bloom annually but 

 possibly only once every 5 to 7 years. 



Beargrass has very little forage value, although sheep eat the 

 flowers and occasionally nibble at the young leaves. Cattle and some- 

 times sheep pull the leaves and chew off the lower white, tender 

 portion. Deer and elk eat the plant sparingly the year around, es- 

 pecially the more tender leaves. In view of the prevailingly poison- 

 ous character of this plant family, it would not be surprising if 

 scientific research should eventually find toxic properties in bear- 

 grass. Formerly, the Indians bleached and dried the long, fibrous 

 leaves, for weaving and padding. Some roasted the roots for food. 



When in bloom, beargrass is one of the most attractive mountain 

 flowers and has appropriately been called The Great White Monarch 

 of the Northwest. The flowers exude a heavy, rather unpleasant 

 fragrance. The flower clusters occur at the top of the stalk, are 

 broad at the base, and taper to a blunt point. Hundreds of cream- 

 white flowers are closelv crowded together on slender, white pedicels, 

 their long stamens giving the effect of being solid and appearing 

 feathery. The wiry, grasslike, rough-edged leaves are from 1 to 3 

 feet long, green on the upper side but a pale gray underneath. 



A little known and very closely related species, X. douglafsii, 

 occurs from Oregon to Montana. It differs from X. tenax in having 

 a narrower inflorescence, smaller flowers, and more heart-shaped 

 pods. Some botanists regard it as doubtfully separable. 



Turkeysbeard (X. asphodeloi' des) , ranging on sandy pinelands 

 and other acid woods of the eastern United States, from New Jersey 

 to Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, is the third known 

 member of this small, exclusively North American genus. 



1 Usually spelled Melanthaceae in the books. 



