''Achnatherum'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of plants which includes several species of
needlegrass The term needlegrass may refer to any of several genera of grasses, including:
*'' Achnatherum''
*''Aristida'' (three-awns)
*'' Hesperostipa''
*''Nassella''
*''Stipa''
*''Triraphis''
See also
* Spear grass (disambiguation)
* Wiregrass (disambigua ...
.
Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''
Stipa
''Stipa'' is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, which also contains many species for ...
''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain.
''
Achnatherum hymenoides'' was useful as a food source to Native Americans. ''
Achnatherum brachychaetum'' is best known as a noxious weed.
Species
Species recognized by
Plants of the World Online as of November 2019:
Species previously included in ''Achnatherum'':
* ''
Achnatherum acutum'' (Swallen) Valdés-Reyna & Barkworth
* ''
Achnatherum aridum
''Achnatherum aridum'' is a species of grass known by the common name Mormon needlegrass. It is native to the southwestern United States from the Mojave Desert in California east to Colorado and New Mexico.
Description
''Achnatherum aridum'' is ...
'' (M.E.Jones) Barkworth - Mormon needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum bloomeri'' (Boland.) Barkworth - Bloomer's ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum bromoides'' (L.) P. Beauv.
* ''
Achnatherum brachychaetum'' (Godr.) Barkworth -
punagrass
* ''
Achnatherum capense'' (L.) P. Beauv.
* ''
Achnatherum caragana'' (Trin. & Rupr.) Nevski
* ''
Achnatherum caudatum'' (Trin.) S. L. W. Jacobs & J. Everett - Chilean ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum clandestinum'' (Hack.) Barkworth - Mexican ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum contractum'' (B.L. Johnson) Barkworth - contracted ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum coronatum'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - crested needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum curvifolium'' (Swallen) Barkworth - Guadalupe ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum diegoense'' (Swallen) Barkworth - San Diego needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum duthiei'' (Hook.f.) P.C. Kuo & S.L. Lu
* ''
Achnatherum editorum'' (E. Fourn.) Valdés-Reyna & Barkworth
* ''
Achnatherum eminens'' (Cav.) Barkworth - southwestern needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum hendersonii
''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain.
' ...
'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Henderson's needlegrass
* ''Achnatherum hymenoides'' (''
Oryzopsis hymenoides
''Eriocoma hymenoides'' (common names: Indian ricegrass and sand rice grass) is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass with narrow, rolled leaf blades.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed., p287 It is native to western North America east of ...
'') Ricker ex Piper - Indian ricegrass
* ''
Achnatherum latiglume
''Achnatherum latiglume'' is a species of grass known by the common names wide-glumed needlegrass, Sierra needlegrass.
Its current classification by the Jepson Herbarium is ''Stipa latiglumis''.Achnatherum lemmonii
''Eriocoma lemmonii'' is a species of grass known by the common name Lemmon's needlegrass. It is native to western North America, where its distribution extends from British Columbia to southern California.
This perennial grass forms a dense clu ...
'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Lemmon's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum lettermanii
''Achnatherum lettermanii'' is a species of grass known by the common name Letterman's needlegrass. The updated and accepted name is ''Stipa lettermanii''. It is native to the western United States from California to Montana to New Mexico, where ...
'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Letterman's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum lobatum'' (Swallen) Barkworth - lobed needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum nelsonii'' (Scribn.) Barkworth - Nelson's needlegrass, Dore's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum nevadense
''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain.
' ...
'' (B.L. Johnson) Barkworth - Nevada needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum occidentale'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - western needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum parishii
''Stipa parishii'', formerly classified as ''Achnatherum parishii'', is a species of Poaceae, grass known by the common name Parish's needlegrass. '' (Vasey) Barkworth - Parish's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum perplexum'' Hoge & Barkworth - perplexing needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum pinetorum'' (M.E. Jones) Barkworth - pinewoods needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum richardsonii'' (Link) Barkworth - Richardson's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum robustum'' (Vasey) Barkworth - sleepygrass
* ''
Achnatherum roshevitzii'' Mussajev - Roshevich's achnatherum
* ''
Achnatherum scribneri'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Scribner needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum speciosum'' Trin. & Rupr. - desert needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum splendens'' (Trin.) Nevski
* ''
Achnatherum stillmanii'' (Bol.) Barkworth - Stillman's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum thurberianum'' (Piper) Barkworth - Thurber's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum swallenii'' (C.L. Hitchc. & Spellenb.) Barkworth - Swallen's needlegrass
* ''
Achnatherum webberi'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - Webber needlegrass
References
* ''CRC World Dictionary of Grasses - Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology - Volume I (A - D)'', by
Umberto Quattrocchi,
External links
USDA Plants Profile for ''Achnatherum'' speciesHerbarium.usu.edu: ''Achnatherum'' Genus key
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2414084
Grasses of North America
Grasses of the United States
Grasses of Mexico
Native grasses of California
Poaceae genera
Taxa named by Palisot de Beauvois