Stipa comata
Needle-and-thread
(c) Elliott Gordon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Stipa comata (Needle-and-thread) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by long awn and sharp callus.
Needle-and-thread is a California native perennial grass found in grasslands and open woodlands across western North American regions at elevations up to 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this distinctive grass produces pale, delicate flowers with long, twisted awns that create a needle-like appearance. Growing 1.2 to 11 decimeters tall with slender, upright stems, it develops dense, compact flower clusters. Its narrow leaves are 10 to 30 centimeters long, typically with inrolled margins and a width of 0.5 to 4 millimeters. The plant's most distinctive feature is its striking white-hairy lemma with a persistent, scabrous awn that dramatically twists and bends, giving it the characteristic "needle-and-thread" appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species; long awn and sharp callus are diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Lassen, Siskiyou, Plumas
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 comata native to California?
Yes. Stipa comata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Stipa comata grow?
Stipa comata occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Mono, Lassen, Siskiyou, Plumas.
What plant family does Stipa comata belong to?
Stipa comata is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.