Dasyochloa | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Subfamily: | Chloridoideae |
Tribe: | Cynodonteae |
Subtribe: | Scleropogoninae |
Genus: | Dasyochloa Willd. ex Rydb. |
Species: | D. pulchella |
Binomial name | |
Dasyochloa pulchella (Kunth) Willd. ex Rydb. | |
Synonyms | |
Erioneuron pulchellum Contents |
Dasyochloa is a monotypic genus containing the single species Dasyochloa pulchella [1] (formerly Erioneuron pulchellum), [2] known as desert fluff-grass or low woollygrass[ citation needed ], a densely tufted perennial grass found in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. [3]
It is native to the Southwestern United States, California, and northern to central Mexico, where it grows in dry regions such as deserts.
It is a perennial bunchgrass forming small tufts just a few centimeters high with clumps of short, sharp-pointed leaves. The tufts are often enveloped in masses of cottony fibers; these are actually hairlike strands of excreted and evaporated mineral salts. [1]
The leaves produce soft, cob-webby hairs that dissolve in water, after summer rains. [3] The hairs are typically not present in spring. [3] Numerous hairless, wiry, stems are 2–5 inches (5–13 cm) tall. [3]
The hairy inflorescence is a spikelet on the end of the stem, surrounded by a bundle of bractlike leaves, and is 1/4" to 1/2" long. [3] The spikelets which are pale in color, sometimes striped with red, purple, or green.[ citation needed ] It blooms from February to May. [3]
Distichlis spicata is a species of grass known by several common names, including seashore saltgrass, inland saltgrass, and desert saltgrass. This grass is native to the Americas, where it is widespread. It can be found on other continents as well, where it is naturalized. It is extremely salt tolerant.
Psilostrophe cooperi is a flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names Cooper's paper daisy and whitestem paperflower. It is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of California, the Southwestern United States, and northwestern Mexico.
Atriplex hymenelytra, the desert holly, is silvery-whitish-gray shrub in the family Amaranthaceae, native to deserts of the southwestern United States. It is the most drought tolerant saltbush in North America. It can tolerate the hottest and driest sites in Death Valley, and remains active most of the year.
Eriocoma arida is a species of grass known by the common name Mormon needlegrass. It is native to the southwestern United States and northeastern Mexico.
Baccharis sergiloides is a species of Baccharis known by the common name desert baccharis.
Rafinesquia neomexicana is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Common names include desert chicory, plumeseed, or New Mexico plumeseed. It has white showy flowers, milky sap, and weak, zigzag stems, that may grow up through other shrubs for support. It is an annual plant found in dry climate areas of the southwestern deserts of the US and northwestern deserts of Mexico.
Leucosyris arida is an annual plant in the family Asteraceae, known by the common names arid tansyaster, desert tansyaster, and Silver Lake daisy. It is native to the very arid deserts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, and usually looks straggly and not very attractive. But in years with very heavy rainfall, it fills out and becomes rounded and bush like.
Dieteria canescens is an annual plant or short lived perennial plant in the family Asteraceae, known by the common names hoary tansyaster and hoary-aster.
Xanthisma gracile is a species of annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names slender goldenweed and annual bristleweed.
Menodora scabra is broom-like shrub in the Olive Family (Oleaceae), known by the common name rough menodora or broom twinberry. It is a popular desert garden plant.
Panicum urvilleanum is a species of grass known by the common names desert panicgrass and silky panicgrass. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy habitat, including the dunes of the deserts. It is also known in parts of South America.
Hilaria jamesii is a species of grass known by the common name James' galleta.
Sporobolus contractus is a species of grass known by the common name spike dropseed. It is native to western North America, including the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows in desert and plateau habitat, in woodlands, scrub, and dry, sandy, open areas.
Sporobolus flexuosus is a species of grass known by the common name mesa dropseed. It is native to western North America, where it can be found in the deserts and woodlands of the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico.
Bouteloua barbata is a species of grass known by the common name six-weeks grama native to North America.
Ericameria paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family Asteraceae, native to the southwestern United States. It is an evergreen yellow-flowered desert shrub.
Ambrosia salsola, commonly called cheesebush, winged ragweed, burrobush, white burrobrush, and desert pearl, is a species of perennial shrub in the family Asteraceae native to deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Scutellaria mexicana, commonly known by variants on bladder sage or paperbag bush, is a shrub of the mint family Lamiaceae distinctive for its calyx lobes that develop into small bag- or bladder-like shells around the fruits.
Aliciella latifolia, also known as broad-leaved gilia, is a foul smelling annual plant in the Phlox family (Polemoniaceae) found in deserts of the southwestern United States.
Hilaria rigida is a species of clumping perennial grass that is widespread in California deserts. It is commonly known as big galleta. It is a monocot in the Hilaria genus of the grass family (Poaceae).