Orcuttia inaequalis
Encyclopedia
Orcuttia inaequalis is a rare species of grass
known by the common name San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass.
, where it grows only in vernal pool
s, a rare and declining type of habitat. Many known occurrences of the plant have been extirpated
as land in the heavily agricultural Central Valley has been altered, and it was federally listed as a threatened species
in 1997.
is a dense, headlike mass of spikelets, the characteristic that separates this Orcutt grass
from the others, which have more spreading inflorescences.
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 name San Joaquin Valley Orcutt grass.
Distribution
It is endemic to the Central Valley of CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
, where it grows only in vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s, a rare and declining type of habitat. Many known occurrences of the plant have been extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
as land in the heavily agricultural Central Valley has been altered, and it was federally listed as a threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
in 1997.
Description
Orcuttia inaequalis is a small, hairy, gray-green annual bunchgrass forming tufts or mats up to about 15 centimeters tall. The fluffy, clustered 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...
is a dense, headlike mass of spikelets, the characteristic that separates this Orcutt grass
Orcuttia
Orcuttia is a genus of grass in the Poaceae family.There are about five species native to California and Baja California. These annual grasses, known generally as Orcutt grass, are all rare and federally protected in the United States.Species:...
from the others, which have more spreading inflorescences.