Shade Grass, as its name implies, grows in shady forests or in places that have little or no direct sunlight. For this reason it is often also known as "Woodsgrass" or "Woodsweed". Shade Grass will grow nearly anywhere that is protected from the sun and has a layer of dirt for the grass to get its thread-like roots into, although it will even grow on dark tree branches or on the roofs of well-shaded houses. It is known for being extremely soft to the touch.

Picture description. Shade Grass, also called "Woodsweed", with some poppies growing in a secluded forest location. Image by Bard Judith.

Appearance. The Shade Grass has small, slender blades that are quite soft and smooth, which make the grass a pleasant one to walk barefoot on or to rest upon. Its color is a pure, deep green at the tip, shading to light greenish ivory at the root. The blades tend to grow five to seven nailsbreadths long, though they may grow as long as a palmspan from their base to their tips. The blades of this grass appear to spring directly from the earth and don’t appear to have any main stem, or sheath, from which the individual leaves grow. This gives the Shade Grass a very even appearance and level surface.

During the late autumn and early winter, the grass will produce longer stalks that peek out of the grass at a little over a palmspan in length. The stalks are a greenish-ivory hue, and produce small, light seeds that are directly connected to the sub-stems of the stalk, otherwise known as the culm. The seeds are very small and have a yealm-beige color, though they will also sometimes have a reddish tint to them. The Shade Grass has thread-like roots that tend to be fairly shallow, making it easy to tear this grass out, but also allowing the grass a large variety of potential growing areas.

Territory. The Shade Grass grows in temperate regions that receive little or no snowfall but also have fairly mild summers. It tends to flourish in places that receive lots of rainfall. Because it only grows in shaded areas, it is most commonly found in Santharian forests and woods such as the Bolder, parts of the Thaelon, Vontron, the Shivering Wood, Goltherlon, Istarin, Paelelon, and as far south as Almatrar. It grows not only on the ground but also up along the limbs of shady trees that have a thick canopy to keep out direct sunlight. They have also been found growing on top of houses and other structures within the forest.

Usages. The Shade Grass, because of its soft qualities, is sometimes planted in shady gardens. It is not very aggressive, and because of its shallow root system is not likely to steal nutrients away from other plants. However, it simply cannot grow in direct sunlight. This will cause the plant to shrivel and die.

Woodsgrass can be eaten at need, although the taste is rather hay-like and not particularly pleasant. The grass will, however, hold water well, and if one is desperately thirsty, chewing on this grass can help.

The Shade Grass' main function is to provide nourishment for the various herbivores of the forest ecosystem, such as the deer and elk, and domestic beasts also find it quite satisfying if they are allowed to browse on it.

Reproduction. Woodsgrass, like most other grasses, spreads in two ways: by sowing its beige seeds as far as the wind or animals can carry it, and by extending its root system. It is a perennial plant, able to live through the winter. However, Woodsgrass doesn’t grow at all during the cold months and waits to flourish and expand during the warmer months.