What is "uniola paniculata"

Spike \Spike\, n. [Akin to LG. spiker, spieker, a large nail, D. spijker, Sw. spik, Dan. spiger, Icel. sp[=i]k; all perhaps from L. spica a point, an ear of grain; but in the sense of nail more likely akin to E. spoke of a wheel. Cf. Spine.]

1. A sort of very large nail; also, a piece of pointed iron set with points upward or outward.

2. Anything resembling such a nail in shape.

   He wears on his head the corona radiata . . .; the spikes that shoot out represent the rays of the sun.
   --Addison.

3. An ear of corn or grain.

4. (Bot.) A kind of flower cluster in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranched elongated axis.

   Spike grass (Bot.), either of two tall perennial American grasses ( Uniola paniculata, and U. latifolia) having broad leaves and large flattened spikelets.

   Spike rush. (Bot.) See under Rush.

   Spike shell (Zo["o]l.), any pteropod of the genus Styliola having a slender conical shell.

   Spike team, three horses, or a horse and a yoke of oxen, harnessed together, a horse leading the oxen or the span.

Uniola paniculata or sea oats, also known as seaside oats, araña, and arroz de costa, is a tall subtropical grass that is an important component of coastal sand dune and beach plant communities in the southeastern United States, eastern Mexico and some Caribbean islands. Its large seed heads that turn golden brown in late summer give the plant its common name. Its tall leaves trap wind-blown sand and promote sand dune growth, while its deep roots and extensive rhizomes act to stabilize them, so the plant helps protect beaches and property from damage due to high winds, storm surges and tides. It also provides food and habitat for birds, small animals and insects.