Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Trichachne californica (Bentham) Chase
(Arizona Cottontop)


Family: Poaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Digitaria californica (Bentham) Henrard
Valota saccharata (Buckley) Chase

Trichachne californica, according to Allred, was so named because of specimens from Baja California-- it is not known from the state of California! It is a beautiful grass with spikelets with long whitish hairs that give it a "cottony" appearance. The spikes stand erect along the axis of the inflorescence, and the panicles have 3 or more nodes.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Trichachne californica, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Cyn., Oct. 24, 2007



Trichachne californica, detail of spikelets, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Burro Mtns., Knight Peak, Oct. 6, 2007


Back to the Index