spear grass

any of various grasses, as a meadow grass or a bent grass, having lance-shaped leaves or floral spikes.

Origin of spear grass

First recorded in 1540–50

It was the stalks, above the upper joint, of spear-grass and redtop grass growing so profusely in Weathersfield.

Home Life in Colonial Days |Alice Morse Earle
The larva feeds on the spear-grass (Aciphylla squarrosa), an abundant plant on the coast hills near Wellington.

An Elementary Manual of New Zealand Entomology |G. V. Hudson
The pupa state is spent, in an earthen chamber, amongst the roots of the spear-grass, and the moth emerges during the summer.

An Elementary Manual of New Zealand Entomology |G. V. Hudson
If you get scratched up by spear-grass and thorns and then step into some swamp-pool it's all off.

The Blind Lion of the Congo |Elliott Whitney

During our stay the island was fired, in order to remove the "spear-grass," which is so destructive to cattle.

Cruise of the 'Alert' |R. W. Coppinger

spear grass

another name for wild Spaniard

any of various native Australian grasses, esp of the genera Stipa or Heteropogon, with sharp-pointed seeds

any of various grasses with sharp stiff blades or seeds