Pleuraphis jamesii
| Pleuraphis jamesii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Pleuraphis |
| Species: | P. jamesii |
| Binomial name | |
| Pleuraphis jamesii Torr. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Hilaria jamesii | |
Pleuraphis jamesii (syn. Hilaria jamesii) is a species of grass known by the common name James' galleta. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it is widespread in scrub, woodland, grassland, and plateau habitat. It is tolerant of arid environments such as desert floors.
It is a rhizomatous perennial grass producing bunches of erect stems approximately one millimeter wide and up to about 60 centimeters in maximum height. The woody rhizome is shallow, spreading just under the soil surface, but it may reach 6 feet in length and when dense helps the grass form a sod.[1]
The inflorescence is a series of hairy, rectangular spikelets. The grass produces relatively little viable seed and spreads mostly via its rhizome.[1]