Ptilagrostis kingii
Encyclopedia
Ptilagrostis kingii is a species of grass
known by the common names King's ricegrass and Sierra false needlegrass. It is endemic to the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada of California
, where it grows in meadows and near streams in subalpine
and alpine climate
s.
is made up of a few upright branches lined with spikelets. Each spikelet has an awn up to 1.4 centimeters long which may be bent.
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 King's ricegrass and Sierra false needlegrass. It is endemic to the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada of 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...
, where it grows in meadows and near streams in subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
and alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
s.
Description
It is a tuft-forming perennial bunchgrass growing 20 to 40 centimeters tall with narrow, rolled leaves. The narrow 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 made up of a few upright branches lined with spikelets. Each spikelet has an awn up to 1.4 centimeters long which may be bent.