It resembles N. manicata, but has longer florets and less strongly developed crowns. It is native to California, where it occurs throughout the coastal hills, valleys, and mountain ranges, as well as the Sacramento Valley and parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills, and Baja California. This species has the same dominant characteristic as most grassland plants: it is able to withstand long periods of drought. Nassella pulchra, basionym Stipa pulchra, is a species of grass known by the common names purple needlegrass and purple tussockgrass. Nassella pulchra grows in oak chaparral and grassland communities of the coast ranges and Sierra foothills of California, extending south into Mexico. Common name: Purple Needlegrass. Description: Member of the grass family.Each grass flower is made up of a pair of tiny bracts and the stamens and pistil. Attractive grass with interesting seed panicles. For It probably never formed extensive grasslands (Hamilton 1997), flourishing primarily in moderately disturbed areas. Nassella pulchra, basionym Stipa pulchra, is a species of grass known by the common name purple needlegrass. Purple needlegrass is a medium-large, long-lived bunchgrass well adapted to clay soils. Nassella pulchra is California’s state grass. Popular in native grass mixtures and in wildflower mixtures. It cannot be used as a lawn grass because of its clustered nature, but it can be used as decorative grass. Scientifically known as Nassella pulchra, purple needlegrass is native to the coastal hills of California, ranging from the Oregon border south to Baja, California. It is believed that before European settlement, purple needlegrass was the dominant bunch grass species in the state. This grass is normally found on dry slopes at around 5000 feet. California grasslands were probably historically dominated by perennial bunchgrasses such as purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) and bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) [22,55,204,211,251]. Discussion. Nassella pulchra can be used to help restore habitats, prevent erosion and maintain levees. Distribution Purple needlegrass occurs on the west side of the Coast Ranges from northern Baja California north to the Oregon border. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center focused on protecting and preserving North America's native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection - Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) Project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife. Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) Purple needlegrass is a perennial bunchgrass which can live up to 150 years. Some grass species in these habitats include red oat grass (Themeda triandra) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) in tropical savannas, and purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) and galleta in temperate areas. Common Name: Purple Needlegrass Botanical Name(s): Stipa pulchra (Nassella pulchra) Purple NeedlegrassNamed "California State Grass" because of its wide range of adapation in climates and soils. Also can be p It is the most widespread native bunchgrass and its growing range is from the Oregon border into northern Baja California. It is native to the U.S. state of California, where it occurs throughout the coastal hills, valleys, and mountain ranges, as well as the Sacramento Valley and parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills, and Baja California. Scientific name: Nassella pulchra Family: Poaceae (grass) Habitat: grassland Size: plants up to 2 feet tall Fun facts: This grass was once nominated to be the “state grass” of California.. The official State Grass designated in 2004, is Nassella pulchra, or Purple needlegrass, as it is most commonly known. But the individual grasses are still here, and in recognition of their historical and environ- mental importance, the Cali- fornia legislature in 2004 declared that the most domi- nant native grass, purple needlegrass (Stipa pulchra, formerly known as Nassella pulchra), as the official state grass. The species also occurs in the Central Valley and foothills of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada, and on the Channel Islands. Purple needlegrass can be found in temperate grasslands from the Oregon border into northern Baja California. Known by the common name purple needlegrass ( Nassella pulchra ) purple needlegrass California, extending south into Mexico purple. Of the Coast Ranges from northern Baja California of tiny bracts and the stamens and pistil formed extensive (! 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