Neostapfia

Neostapfia is a genus of endemic Californian bunchgrasses, in the subfamily Chloridoideae of the grass family, Poaceae.[3][1][4][5][6] The only known species is Neostapfia colusana, with the common name Colusa grass.[1]

Colusa grass
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Tribe: Cynodonteae
Subtribe: Orcuttiinae
Genus: Neostapfia
Burtt Davy
Species:
N. colusana
Binomial name
Neostapfia colusana
Synonyms[2]
  • Stapfia Burtt Davy 1898, illegitimate name not Chodat 1897 (a green alga in family Tetrasporaceae)
  • Davyella Hack.
  • Stapfia colusana Burtt Davy
  • Anthochloa colusana (Burtt Davy) Scribn.
  • Davyella colusana (Burtt Davy) Hack.

Distribution

Neostapfia colusana is endemic to the Central Valley of California, in the northern section's Sacramento Valley and in the southern section's San Joaquin Valley.[1] The bunchgrass grows in vernal pools, which are seasonal shallow freshwater ponds.

It is native to the Central Valley counties of Glenn, Colusa, Yolo, Solano, Stanislaus, and Merced.[7][8]

This rare grass is a federally listed threatened species in the United States.[9][3]

Description

Neostapfia colusana is a clumping bunchgrass with distinctive cylindrical inflorescences covered in flat spikelets.

The inflorescences are said to resemble tiny ears of corn. They fruit in grains covered in a gluey secretion, and when a plant is mature each clump becomes brown and sticky with the exudate.

The genus was named for the botanist Otto Stapf.

Conservation

The plant is limited to vernal pool habitats, a type of ecosystem which is increasingly rare as Central Valley land is consumed by development and agriculture, and damaged by flood control regimes and other alterations of hydrology.[10]

References
  1. Jepson (JM2): Neostapfia colusana
  2. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. USDA: Neostapfia colusana
  4. Davy, Joseph Burtt. 1898. "Stapfia, a new genus of Meliceae, and other noteworthy grasses." Erythea 6 (11): 109-113, text.
  5. Davy, Joseph Burtt. 1898. "Stapfia, a new genus of Meliceae, and other noteworthy grasses." Erythea 6 (11): plate 1, line drawings of Neostapfia colusana, named as Stapfia colusana
  6. Davy, Joseph Burtt 1899. "Concerning Stapfia." Erythea 7 (43)
  7. Calflora Database: Neostapfia colusana, with county distribution maps.
  8. Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps for Neostapfia colusana
  9. The Calflora Database: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals, including the Consortium of California Herbaria. 2015. Berkeley, California
  10. California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile
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