Achnatherum lettermanii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
(unranked): | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Genus: | Achnatherum |
Species: | A. lettermanii |
Binomial name | |
Achnatherum lettermanii (Vasey) Barkworth |
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Synonyms | |
Stipa lettermanii |
Achnatherum lettermanii is a species of grass known by the common name Letterman's needlegrass. It is native to the western United States from California to Montana to New Mexico, where it is a resident of several types of habitat.
Achnatherum lettermanii is a tufting perennial bunchgrass which forms large clumps of erect stems up to about 80 centimeters tall. The leaves are short and slightly curly. The inflorescence is up to about 19 centimeters long and has open branches with few spikelets. Each spikelet is less than a centimeter long but has an awn which can be up to about 2.5 centimeters in length. The awn has two kinks.