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Nassella
pulchra (A.
Hitchc.) Barkworth
Purple needlegrass, Purple stipa (syn. Stipa pulchra A. Hitchc.)
 Family:
Poaceae
Habit:
Tufted perennial grass with flat or involute leaves and terminal
nodding panicles. Stem 3 to 10 dm. high.
Distribution:
Found in oak woodland, chaparral, and grasslands in
California
coastal ranges from Humboldt County to Baja California; also in
the Sierran foothills and the Channel Islands.
Seed unit:
One-flowered spikelet with caryopsis.
Seed:
Glumes subequal; 12 to 19 mm.; floret 7.5 to 11.5 mm., lemma
evenly hairy, becoming glabrous on veins, neck conspicuous, not
narrowed at base. Awn 38 to 100 mm., strongly bent.
Embryo:
Basal-lateral embryo area of seed caryopsis.
 Purity
instructions:
Pure seed definition:
AOSA:
PSU #12 -
Single floret, with or without awn, provided a caryopsis with
some degree of endosperm development can be detected (either
by slight pressure or by examination over light.) Caryopsis
or piece of broken caryopsis larger than one-half of the
original size.
Average pure
seed units per gram:
212 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 328
samples received for testing from 1992 to 2003).
Range of
percent pure seed:
27% to 99%
Range of
percent inert:
.08% to 71%
Description
of inert:
Plant material, chaff, soil, broken seed, sticks.
Planting
instructions:
400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 15-25°; for fresh and dormant seed,
prechill and GA3 recommended.
References:
(link
to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed. 1993. p. 1276.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck. 1968. p. 1532.
Ransom Seed Laboratory |
