Torreyochloa erecta

Spiked false mannagrass

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Spiked false mannagrass is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada and high Cascade Range in stream and lake margins, and conifer forest at elevations of 2,000 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from July to September, this grass produces delicate inflorescences with erect to ascending branches 5.5 to 11 centimeters long. Growing with stems 20 to 60 centimeters tall, it forms dense clusters with upright growth habit. Its spikelets contain 4 to 7 florets, with the lowest lemma measuring 2.3 to 3.1 millimeters long. The plant's smallest florets feature tiny anthers approximately 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Stream, lake margins, conifer forest

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 2000-3500 m

Bioregions: CaRH, SNH

California counties: Fresno, Mono, El Dorado, Tulare, Tuolumne, Madera, Glenn, Plumas, Mariposa, Calaveras, Siskiyou, Amador, Alpine, Nevada, Sierra, Inyo, Tehama, Kern, Placer

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.