Nassella pulchra

Species category

Revegetation or Rangeland, Weed

Common name

purple needlegrass, purple tussockgrass

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

Linear

Size

  • Length 7.8–10.3 mm
  • Width 1–1.3 mm
  • Thickness 1–1.3 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

Slightly rough and villous

Lemma

LemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
encloses paleaPalea:
One of the thin bracts of grass floret enclosing the fruit (caryopsis) that is located on the side opposite the embryo.
and caryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
and is circular in cross-section.

Palea

Enclosed in lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.

Other structures

The callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
is long, sharp, and densely bearded.

Identification notes

The long geniculateGeniculate:
Bent at a sharp angle.
awn arises from the bearded crown-like structure at the apexApical:
The distal end of the fruit or seed away from the point of attachment or attachment scar.
of the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
.

Noxious weed seed categories

State Noxious Weed: Arizona 

AOSA examination list

Not included

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Nassella pulchra (Hitchc.) Barkworth

Synonyms

Stipa pulchra Hitchc.

 Nassella pulchra . Florets with a long and densely bearded callus.
Nassella pulchra. Florets with a long and densely bearded callus.
 Nassella pulchra . The long geniculate awn arises from the bearded crown-like structure at the apex of the lemma.
Nassella pulchra. The long geniculate awn arises from the bearded crown-like structure at the apex of the lemma.
 Nassella pulchra . Florets with a long and densely bearded callus.
Nassella pulchra. Florets with a long and densely bearded callus.