Stipa arida
Mormon needle grass
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Stipa arida (Mormon needle grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Mormon needle grass is a native perennial ranked 2B.3 by CNPS found in the Mojave Desert in shrublands, pinyon and juniper woodlands, and rocky outcrops at elevations of 1,100 to 1,850 meters. Flowering from May to August, this grass produces delicate pale tan to silvery flowers with long, distinctive awns that create an elegant, feathery appearance. Growing with slender stems 35 to 85 centimeters tall, it develops dense, compact inflorescences that rise above its narrow leaf blades. Its leaves are characteristically thin, with proximal sheaths that are smooth and blade width rarely exceeding 3 millimeters. The grass produces distinctive needle-like awns 40 to 80 millimeters long that are minutely rough and subtly curved, giving the plant its memorable texture and form.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; key differentiator is awn characteristics
Habitat and range
Habitat: Outcrops, shrub land, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1100-1850 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono
Outside California: to Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Stipa arida blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Nassella: Nassella has feathery plumose awns; Stipa awns are scabrous (rough) not plumose.; vs Oloptum: Oloptum has twice-bent awns with dense crown; Stipa has once-bent awns.; vs Eriocoma: Eriocoma has densely hairy lemmas; Stipa lemmas are smooth to scabrous.; vs Pappostipa: Pappostipa has plumose awns; Stipa awns are rough but not feathery.; vs Bromus: Bromus has multiple-flowered spikelets; Stipa has single-flowered spikelets with bent awns.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stipa arida native to California?
Yes. Stipa arida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stipa arida bloom?
Stipa arida blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Stipa arida grow?
Stipa arida occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, at elevations of 1100-1850 m.
What plant family does Stipa arida belong to?
Stipa arida is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
Is Stipa arida rare or endangered?
Stipa arida carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S3?.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.