Bouteloua eriopoda

Black grama

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Black grama is a native perennial grass found in the eastern desert mountains in dry, open, sandy to rocky slopes, scrub, and woodland at elevations of 900 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces delicate, spreading grass flowers with subtle tan to brown hues. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall that are notably hairy, especially at the lower internodes, it spreads through underground stolons. Its narrow leaves are less than 10 centimeters long and less than 2 millimeters wide, with grass branches bearing 6 to 18 ascending spikelets. The inflorescence has 2 to 7 spreading branches that persist after flowering, with characteristic hairy bases and distinctive awned florets.

Habitat: Dry, open, sandy to rocky slopes, flats, drainages, scrub, woodland

Bloom period: May-Oct

Elevation: 900-1900 m

Bioregions: e DMtns

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.