Common woodrush is either circumboreal—native to northern areas of the world—or an
introduced species here in North America. The jury is still out. It prefers open woodlands
and grassy area, and disturbed soils.
Plants: 4-16″ (10-40 cm). Very
long white hairs are present on the stem and
leaves. Up close, it looks almost as if the plant was swept through a spider web.
Stems are round.
Leaves: Grasslike basal leaves are 1¼-4½″ (3.5-12 cm) ×
1/16-⅛″ (2-6 mm), with untoothed edges. Stressed leaves are reddish.
Flowers: Six brown-to-black tepals1/16-⅛″ (2-4 mm)
long. They appear on nearly hairless stalks of 3-16 spikes, each with 8-16 ¼″ (6.3 mm) flowers.
Fruits: 3-lobed, oval to round capsules ~1/16″ (1.9-2.6 mm), containing
three or more seeds.