Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii
Lemmon's needle grass
Photo: parent species Stipa lemmonii · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii (Lemmon's needle grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by lemma tip characteristics and intermediate awn length.
Lemmon's needle grass is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in pine forests, mixed-evergreen woodlands, sagebrush scrub, chaparral, and grasslands at elevations of 50 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from May to July, this grass produces delicate pale yellowish-green to light brown flowers in slender, open panicles. Growing with slender stems 30 to 80 centimeters tall, it has a tufted growth habit with stems that are glabrous to softly hairy near the base. Its leaves are narrow and thread-like, with basal leaf sheaths that range from completely smooth to lightly hairy. The distinctive needle-like seeds have long, twisted awns that help the grass disperse across its varied habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species; lemma tip characteristics and intermediate awn length help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pine, mixed-evergreen forest, sagebrush scrub, chaparral, grassland, serpentine or not
Elevation: 50-2300 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, Utah
Bloom period
Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii blooms May-Jul.
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 var. lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii bloom?
Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii belong to?
Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
What habitat does Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii grow in?
Stipa lemmonii var. lemmonii grows in Pine, mixed-evergreen forest, sagebrush scrub, chaparral, grassland, serpentine or not.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.