Schismus arabicus

Arabian schismus

Family: Poaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Arabian schismus is a naturalized annual grass found in the southern San Joaquin Valley, central western California, southern California Coast, southern Channel Islands, Transverse Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, and desert regions at elevations below 1,900 meters in dry, open, generally disturbed areas. Flowering from March to May, this grass produces small, inconspicuous flowers in delicate, thread-like spikelets. Growing with slender stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms compact, low-growing clusters in arid landscapes. Its leaves are extremely narrow, less than one millimeter wide, resembling fine threads that spread out from the base of the plant. This adaptable grass thrives in disturbed habitats, quickly colonizing open ground with its fine, wispy growth form.

Habitat: Dry, open, generally disturbed areas

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: < 1900 m

Bioregions: SnJV, CW, SCo, s ChI, TR, W&ampI, D

California counties: Ventura, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Imperial, Kern, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Fresno, Mono, Kings, San Benito, San Diego, Tulare, Merced, Mendocino, San Joaquin, Stanislaus

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