Nassella tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Nassella tenuissima

Nassella tenuissima (Trin.) Barkworth

Stipa tenuissima Trin.

Mexican Feather Grass, Finestem Needlegrass

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Commelinidae	Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order	Cyperales	Flowering plants including grasses
Family	Poaceae	Grasses (but not sedges or rushes)
Genus	Nassella	Diminutive of the Latin nassa, “a basket with a narrow neck, a fish basket”
Species	tenuissima	Very slender

About plant names...

Mexican feathergrass is native to Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, and Argentina. Increasingly popular as an ornamental grass, it is potentially invasive in some areas.

Identification: This grass forms clumps 12-24" (30-60 cm) high and about 12" (30 cm) around. Feathery green flower clusters 6-12" (15-30 cm) tall mature to silvery tan in color. The individual flowers each have a long, thin awn 2-3" (5-7.6 cm) in length. Grass blades are 6-14" (15-35 cm) long, almost tubular, tightly rolled, making the blades appear very fine, only half a millimeter in diameter.

Online References:

Nassella tenuissima on floridata.com

Nassella tenuissima at HEAR: the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project

Nassella tenuissima at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Nassella tenuissima on Weed Watch, the Los Angelas Region Council for Watershed Health Invasive Plant Monitoring and Outreach Program

Nassella tenuissima at George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

The tan-colored panicles of flowers are several inches long. · 8/1/2009 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME
≈ 23 × 15" (58 × 38 cm)

Nassella tenuissima description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

8/1/2009 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME
≈ 3 × 2' (95 × 63 cm)

2/24/2010 · San Diego (Quail) Botanic Garden, Encinitas, CA

Range: Zones 7-11:

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