G118 



CALIFORNIA NEEDLEGRASS 



Sti'pa pul'chra, syn. "S. seti'gera" 1 



Flower head (panicle) nodding, open, 

 spreading, the slender branches flower- 

 ing toward the ends 



Individual flower groups (spikelets) 

 1 -flowered 



Stalks (culms) erect, up to 40 in. 

 high, hairless except just below nodes 



Leaves long, narrow; collar (ligule), 

 at junction of blade and sheath, evi- 

 dent 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) 

 slightly unequal, narrow, long-pointed, 

 purplish, 3-nerved 



Outer flower bract (lemma) about % 

 in. long, with crown of stiff, erect hairs; 

 tipped by a beard (awn) up to 3H in. 

 long, which is somewhat hairy but not 

 feathery, twice-bent, and twisted up 

 to 2d bend 



"Seed" (caryopsis) hard, cylindrical, 

 with a sharp-pointed, bearded base 

 (callus), closely enfolded by lemma 



Roots fibrous 





l Of United States authors, not Presl. 



