Neostapfia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colusa grass | ||||||||||||||||
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Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
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Binomial name | ||||||||||||||||
Neostapfia colusana Burtt Davy |
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Synonyms | ||||||||||||||||
Stapfia colusana |
Neostapfia is a monotypic genus containing the single species of grass Neostapfia colusana, which is known by the common name Colusa grass. This grass is a rare vernal pool plant endemic to the Central Valley of California, where it is listed as an endangered species. Colusa grass is a clumping grass with distinctive cylindrical inflorescences covered in flat spikelets. The inflorescences are said to resemble tiny ears of corn. They fruit in grains covered in a gluey secretion, and when a plant is mature each clump becomes brown and sticky with the exudate. The genus was named for the botanist Otto Stapf.