Purple threeawn is a native bunchgrass commonly found in fair-poor condition rangelands in south Texas. It is an early colonizing native species, and is often one of the first native grasses to establish on highly disturbed soils. Purple threeawn may be useful in restoration efforts on highly disturbed lands, and its low growing stature makes is a good candidate for use on highway rights-of-way. Development and future commercialization of this plant is hindered by the long awns found on seeds, making harvest and processing difficult.