spinifex

Any of numerous species of grass in genus Spinifex, growing in sand dunes.

Any of several spiny grass species of the genus Triodia, endemic to arid outback Australia.

And there will be Ethel watching, just standing there, stirring something on the kitchen stove, or dusting the mahogany sideboard, or polishing the silver, and looking out the window, staring, just staring, as though she were watching the spinifex growing, or the sky hanging there, just staring with that terrible effrontery of someone who will not deign to react.

Composed of dendritic plates, which present as the scored texture of bundled, spine-like structures typical of komatiites.