Taxon Report

Stipa lemmonii (Vasey) Scribn. var. pubescens Crampton

pubescent needle grass

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Taxon Summary

Stipa lemmonii var. pubescens, commonly known as pubescent needle grass, is a perennial herb in the Poaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, and Lower montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 1030 to 1315 meters. Stipa lemmonii var. pubescens is ranked 3.2, Plants About Which We Need More Information, A Review List; Moderately threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Stipa lemmonii (Vasey) Scribn. var. pubescens Crampton
Common Name:
pubescent needle grass
Family: Poaceae
Element Code: PMPOA5X0F2
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Achnatherum lemmonii var. pubescens

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb
Blooming Period: May-Jul May-Jul
Elevation: 1030-1315 (3380-4315)
General Habitats: Chaparral, Lower montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat: Serpentine
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 0
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Lake (LAK), Tehama (TEH)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Potato Hill (3912237), Riley Ridge (3912286)

Notes

Move to List 1B? Taxonomic questions remain, since plant co-occurs with nominate variety. A synonym of A. lemmonii in The Jepson Manual, but author now believes it is distinct. Threatened by grazing. See Leaflets of Western Botany 7(9):220 (1955) for original description, MadroƱo 31(1):48-56 (1984) for alternate taxonomic treatment, and Phytologia 74(1):1-25 (1993) for revised nomenclature.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 5 February 2025].