Species Detail Grasses

Plant - Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Achnatherum speciosum - Barkworth desert needlegrass Synonyms: Stipa speciosa, Pappostipa speciosa Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae


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Plant and blades Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)	Seedhead Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)	Spikelets Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)


	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Cool Habitat Description: Coarse rocky soils with little or no profile development such as alluvial fans, dry rocky hills and talus slopes. Plant Communities:Desert Scrub, Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland Elevation: 2000 - 6500 feet General Description Desc: A short perennial bunchgrass reaching a height of 1 to 2 feet. Leaf blades are thin and rolled along the edges. The inflorescence is up to 2 inches long and is dense and fluffy. Each spikelet is very hairy and has a bent awn coated in long hairs. Identification Notes: A robust plant with firm glumes, hairy collars and 1 inch once bent awns that have a straight terminal segment. The seedhead is branched but narrow as branching is appressed. Grass Type: Perennial bunchgrass Rhizomes: N Stolons: N Large Dense Clump (> 2 feet): N Bushy (highly branched): N Height with Seedheads: 12 to 24 inches Seedhead Structure: Branched - contracted Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Mar - Jun Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: One-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: 1/4 inch to 1 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: Y Flower and Seedhead Notes: Each spikelet is very hairy and has a bent awn which is coated in long hairs. The inflorescence is compact, 4 to 6 inches long and generally partly enclosed by the uppermost leaf sheath. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: Y Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Involute Blade Notes: Leaves mostly basal and below the middle of stems with leaves sheathing at bases. Leaf blades very narrow with rolled margins and more or less hairy. Sheath Hairy: Y Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: Y Ligules: Membranous and hairy Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: N Forage Value: Desert needlegrass is palatable to all classes of livestock and wildlife such as desert bighorn sheep and feral burros when young. After it matures it is moderately grazed by horses and cattle, but is often avoided by other livestock such as sheep.


	Arizona Cooperative Extension Yavapai County 840 Rodeo Dr #C Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 445-6590	Version 8.0 http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailGrass.php Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson Legal Disclaimer