Poa napensis
Encyclopedia
Poa napensis is a rare species of grass
known by the common name Napa bluegrass. It is endemic to Napa County, California
, where it is known from only two occurrences near Calistoga
. It grows in moist, mineral-rich soil around hot spring
s. The rare grass only occurs on private, unprotected land and depends on water from the hot springs; changes to the local water regime or any other aspects of its specific habitat type would affect the plant. This grass was federally listed as an endangered species
in 1997, along with another rare local hot spring endemic, the Calistoga popcornflower
(Plagiobothrys strictus).
This is a perennial grass forming dense clumps of somewhat waxy stems up to about a meter in maximum height. The inflorescence
is an open array of thin branches bearing rough-haired, flattened, lance-shaped spikelets. The spikelets may be greenish to purple in color.
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...
known by the common name Napa bluegrass. It is endemic to Napa County, California
Napa County, California
Napa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
, where it is known from only two occurrences near Calistoga
Calistoga, California
Calistoga is a city in Napa County, California, United States. The population was 5,155 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , 99.30% of it land and 0.70% of it water.-Climate:...
. It grows in moist, mineral-rich soil around hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s. The rare grass only occurs on private, unprotected land and depends on water from the hot springs; changes to the local water regime or any other aspects of its specific habitat type would affect the plant. This grass was federally listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in 1997, along with another rare local hot spring endemic, the Calistoga popcornflower
Plagiobothrys strictus
Plagiobothrys strictus is a rare species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name Calistoga popcornflower. It is endemic to Napa County, California, where it is known from only two small locations near Calistoga.-Description:...
(Plagiobothrys strictus).
This is a perennial grass forming dense clumps of somewhat waxy stems up to about a meter in maximum height. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is an open array of thin branches bearing rough-haired, flattened, lance-shaped spikelets. The spikelets may be greenish to purple in color.