Stipa lemmonii
Lemmon's needle grass
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Stipa lemmonii (Lemmon's needle grass) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Lemmon's needle grass is a California native perennial found in grassland and oak woodland habitats at moderate elevations. Flowering from May to July, this grass produces delicate pale yellow to light green spikelets with distinctive bent awns. Growing with slender stems 15 to 90 centimeters tall, it forms dense, compact clusters characteristic of needle grass species. Its narrow leaves are extremely fine, measuring just 0.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide, typically folded or with tightly inrolled margins. The plant's most distinctive feature is its persistent awn, which is 16 to 30 millimeters long and bent twice, creating an elegant curved silhouette.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Glenn, Kern, Sierra, Lake, Placer, Plumas, Tehama, Mariposa, Amador, San Diego, El Dorado, Alpine, Shasta, Madera, Napa, Alameda, Calaveras, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Modoc, Mono, Riverside, Ventura, Butte, Los Angeles, Yuba, San Benito
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 lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Stipa lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Stipa lemmonii grow?
Stipa lemmonii occurs in Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Glenn, Kern, Sierra and other counties.
What plant family does Stipa lemmonii belong to?
Stipa lemmonii 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 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.