Nassella lepida

Nassella lepida (syn. Stipa lepida) is a species of grass known by the common names foothill needlegrass,[1][2] foothills nassella,[3] foothill stipa, small-flowered stipa, small-flowered needlegrass, and smallflower tussockgrass.[4]

Nassella lepida

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Nassella
Species:
N. lepida
Binomial name
Nassella lepida
(Hitchc.) Barkworth
Synonyms

Stipa lepida

Distribution

It is native to California in the United States, where it occurs as far north as Humboldt County,[4] and its range extends into Baja California.[2]

Description

This is a perennial bunchgrass growing up to a meter tall. The flat or rolled leaf blades are up to 23 centimeters long. The panicle is up to 55 centimeters long and has branches bearing up to 6 spikelets each The spikelet has an awn up to 4.6[2] to 5.5[3] centimeters long.

This grass grows in chaparral and grassland habitat.[2] It can also be found in coastal sage scrub and coastal prairie.[4]

This species and several others were recently transferred from genus Stipa into Nassella, mainly on the basis of their "strongly convolute lemmas". Genetic evidence supports the transfer.[3]

This species may hybridize with Nassella pulchra.[3]

References
  1. Nassella lepida. USDA PLANTS Profile.
  2. Nassella lepida. The Jepson Manual.
  3. Barkworth, M. Nassella lepida. In: Barkworth et al. (eds.), Grass Manual. Flora of North America.
  4. Calflora. 2013. Nassella lepida. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database.
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