Achnatherum speciosum

Taxobox
name = "Achnatherum speciosum"

---

image_width = 190px
image_caption = spikelet without awn
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Poales
familia = Poaceae
genus = "Achnatherum"
species = "A. speciosum"
binomial = "Achnatherum speciosum"
binomial_authority = (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth
synonyms = "Stipa speciosa"

"Achnatherum speciosum" is a species of grass known by the common name desert needlegrass. It is native to much of the western United States from California to Colorado, where it grows in dry areas, especially sagebrush habitat. It is also known from Mexico and parts of South America. This is a short bunching perennial grass reaching a maximum height of 35 to 60 centimeters. The leaf blades are less than a millimeter wide and rolled along the edges. The bases are stiff and remain as the dense grass clump dries. The inflorescence is up to about 7 centimeters long and is dense and fluffy. Each spikelet is very hairy and has a bent awn up to about a centimeter long which is coated in long hairs. The stiff awn and the sharp tip of the spikelet make the seeds hazardous for animals. The hairs on the seed help in catch in animal coats and drift on the wind for dispersal. The awn also twists when wet, helping the seed bury itself in the soil.

External links

* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8738,8739,8759 Jepson Manual Treatment]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACSP12 USDA Plants Profile]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/achspe/all.html Ecology]
* [http://herbarium.usu.edu/webmanual/info2.asp?name=Achnatherum_speciosum&type=treatment Grass Manual Treatment]
* [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Achnatherum+speciosum Photo gallery]