Stipa nevadensis
Nevada needle grass
(c) Martin Purdy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Martin Purdy · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Stipa nevadensis (Nevada needle grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by awn pubescence pattern.
Nevada needle grass is a native perennial grass found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Great Basin, and California Ranges in sagebrush scrub and open woodland at elevations of 1,000 to 3,450 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces delicate inflorescences with pale, narrow spikelets 6 to 25 centimeters long. Growing with slender stems 20 to 85 centimeters tall, it forms dense, compact clusters with fine, inrolled leaf blades. Its leaves are narrow, typically 10 to 25 centimeters long and just 1 to 3 millimeters wide, with glabrous to lightly hairy proximal sheaths. The distinctive seed awns are 20 to 35 millimeters long, bent twice, and covered with dense hairs on the lower portion.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; awn pubescence pattern helps distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, open woodland
Elevation: 1000-3450 m
California counties: Lassen, Mono, Modoc, Inyo, Tulare, Kern, Riverside, El Dorado, Sierra, Nevada, Alpine, Tuolumne
Outside California: to Washington, Colorado, Utah
Bloom period
Stipa nevadensis blooms Jun-Aug.
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 nevadensis native to California?
Yes. Stipa nevadensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stipa nevadensis bloom?
Stipa nevadensis blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Stipa nevadensis grow?
Stipa nevadensis occurs in Lassen, Mono, Modoc, Inyo, Tulare, Kern, Riverside, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 1000-3450 m.
What plant family does Stipa nevadensis belong to?
Stipa nevadensis is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
What habitat does Stipa nevadensis grow in?
Stipa nevadensis grows in Sagebrush scrub, open woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Stipa occidentalis — Western needlegrass
- Stipa occidentalis var. californica — California needle grass
- Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis — Western needle grass
- Stipa occidentalis var. pubescens — Common western needle grass
- Stipa parishii var. parishii — Parish's needlegrass
- Stipa pinetorum — Pinewoods needle grass
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.