Page author: David Giblin
Piptatheropsis exigua
little mountain-ricegrass
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to Montana and Colorado.

Habitat: Sandy to rocky soil, mountain meadows to subalpine and alpine ridges and slopes.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Strongly tufted perennial, the culms 1-3 dm. tall, hollow.

Leaves:

Sheaths open, usually smooth; ligules 3-4 mm. long, acute; blades scarcely 1 mm. broad, strongly involute, erect.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a very narrow panicle 3-6 cm. long, the few, short branches stiffly erect; spikelets 1-flowered; glumes broad, 4-6 mm. long, obtuse to abruptly pointed; lemma equaling the Glumes, awned from a bifid apex, the awn stout, twisted, 4-6 mm. long; palea subequal to the lemma.

Accepted Name:
Piptatheropsis exigua (Thurb.) Romasch., P.M. Peterson & Soreng
Publication: Taxon 60(6): 1713. 2011.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Oryzopsis exigua Thurb. [HC]
Piptatherum exiguum (Thurb.) Dorn
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Piptatheropsis exigua in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Piptatheropsis exigua checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Piptatheropsis exigua information.

E-Flora BC: Piptatheropsis exigua atlas page.

CalPhotos: Piptatheropsis exigua photos.

USDA Plants: Piptatheropsis exigua information.

3 photographs:
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