Hesperostipa comata subsp. intermedia (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth (Scribn. & Tweedy) Barkworth
needle-and-thread grass (intermediate needle and thread)
Poaceae (Grass family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
needle-and-thread grass (intermediate needle and thread)
Poaceae (Grass family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Map
Distribution of Hesperostipa comata subsp. intermedia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend
Species Information
General:
Perennial, tufted grass from fibrous roots; stems erect, 30-70 cm tall.
Leaves:
Sheaths smooth to rough, strongly ribbed, not fringed along the margins; blades in-rolled and 0.5-2 mm wide, or if flat, up to 4 mm wide; ligules of the upper leaves to 7 mm long, usually pointed, sometimes jagged at the tips.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a loose, but narrow panicle, 10-28 cm long, the branches ascending; glumes narrow, nearly equal, papery; lower glumes 18-35 mm long, upper glumes 1-3 mm shorter; lemmas 7-13 mm long, evenly covered with 1 mm-long white hairs or smooth across the back of the lemma, awned, the awns firm and straight or zig-zagged and curved, 5-30 cm long; calluses 2-4 mm long, hairy.
Notes:
Two subspecies occur in BC:
1. Terminal segment of the awn firm, straight or almost so, usually less than 5.5 cm long.................... ssp. intermedia (Scribn. & Tweedy) Barkw.
1. Terminal segment of the awn zig-zagged, curved, usually more than 5.5 cm long................... ssp. comata
Habitat and Range
Dry, open grassy slopes in the steppe and montane zones; common in SC and SE BC, infrequent northward; N to YT, E to PQ and S to NY, MI, IL, IA, TX, NM, AZ and CA.Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Hesperostipa comata var. intermedia (Scribn. & Tweedy) Dorn
Stipa comata var. falcata B. Boivin p.p.
Stipa comata var. intermedia Scribn. & Tweedy
Stipa comata var. suksdorfii H. St. John
Stipa tweedyi