Pleuraphis
Encyclopedia
Pleuraphis is a small genus of grass
es in the Poaceae
family known generally as galleta grasses. They are sometimes combined with the genus Hilaria
. These grasses are native to the southwestern United States
and northern Mexico
, where they are widespread and common in many types of habitat.
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es in the Poaceae
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
family known generally as galleta grasses. They are sometimes combined with the genus Hilaria
Hilaria (genus)
Hilaria is a genus of grass in the Poaceae family. Members of the genus are commonly known as curly mesquite. It contains 9-10 species that are found in the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela...
. These grasses are native to the southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where they are widespread and common in many types of habitat.
Species
- Pleuraphis jamesiiPleuraphis jamesiiPleuraphis jamesii is a species of grass known by the common name James' galleta. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it is widespread in scrub, woodland, grassland, and plateau habitat...
Torr. – James' galleta - Pleuraphis mutica Buckley – tobosagrass
- Pleuraphis rigidaPleuraphis rigidaPleuraphis rigida is a species of grass known by the common name big galleta.-Distribution:Pleuraphis rigida is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is widespread in chaparral, scrub, woodland, grassland, and plateau habitat...
Thurb. – big galleta