Aristida californica
Encyclopedia
Aristida californica is a species of grass
known by the common names California threeawn and Mojave threeawn. It is native to the Mojave Desert
s and Sonoran
of northern Mexico and California
and Arizona
.
contains hard spikelets with a long beak at the tip and awns up to 4.5 centimeters long.
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
known by the common names California threeawn and Mojave threeawn. It is native to the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
s and Sonoran
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
of northern Mexico and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Description
Aristida californica is a clumpy, hairy grass forming bushy tufts up to about 40 centimeters tall in its sandy habitat. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
contains hard spikelets with a long beak at the tip and awns up to 4.5 centimeters long.