Nassella

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Nassella
Nassella laevissima from Chile at the UC Berkeley botanical gardens.
Nassella laevissima from Chile at the UC Berkeley botanical gardens.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Nassella
E. Desv.
Species
  • Nassella gigantea - giant feather grass
  • Nassella laevissima
  • Nassella leucotricha - Texas winter grass
  • Nassella pulchra - purple needle grass
  • Nassella viridula

Nassella (also known as needle grass or tussock grass) is a New World genus of perennial bunch grasses. It is a segregate from the genus Stipa and includes many New World species formerly classified in that genus.[1]

Nassella pulchra (or purple needle grass) is a native grass of California that was once a dominant species in California grasslands before invasive European grasses became dominant. The seeds of N. pulchra were an important food source for many California Indian tribes. Today, it is the state grass of California and plays an important role in native grassland restoration and erosion control.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Nassella E.Desv." by Mary Barkworth, Stipeae pages (Intermountain Herbarium, Utah State University), June 13, 2003.
  2. ^ "History and Culture: State Insignia", California State Library, December 8, 2006.

[edit] External links

Nassella lepida
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