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Imperata brevifolia - California satintail

Scientific Family
Poaceae
Synonyms
Imperata hookeri, Imperata arundinacea, Saccharum mexicanum
Other common names
satintail
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
Yes

Grass Description

Origin
Native
Season
Warm

In our area, found mostly in rocky canyons near water sources. Can also be found in springs, wet meadows, along streams and in flood plains.

Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
0
High elevation
6000

General Description

Erect bunchgrass growing up to 5 feet tall, with hard, scaly rhizomes. Seedheads are long and narrow, with long silky white hairs giving us its common name.

Erect, coarse perennials, scaly rhizomes. Seedheads narrow with silky hairs, distinctly exerted; spikelets in pairs, awnless, surrounded by sikly hairs, subsessile and on one side of the stem; glumes stay on the plant when seeds are mature. Stems leafy.

Grass type
Perennial bunchgrass
Rhizomes
Yes
Stolons
No
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
Yes
Bushy - highly branched
No
Height with Seedheads
Greater than 36 inches
Seedhead Structure
Branched - contracted
Seedhead droops
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
October

Flower Characteristics

Flowers per Spikelet
Multi-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
No
Awns
Absent
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes

Seedhead is white, contracted, 6 to 12 inches long, with silky white hairs dotted with brown anthers and stigmas. Spikelets 2-flowered, without awns.

Vegetative Characteristics

Blade is hairy
No
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Flat

Flat blades 6 to 12 inches long, 1/4 to 3/4 inch wide, with upper blades reducing in size. Top surfaces smooth, bottom surfaces rough and sometimes densely hairy at the base.

Sheath is hairy
Yes
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
Yes
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
No

Not available.