''Achnatherum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of plants which includes several species of

needlegrass The term needlegrass may refer to any of several genera of grasses, including: *''Achnatherum'' *'' Aristida'' (three-awns) *'' Hesperostipa'' *'' Nassella'' *'' Stipa'' *'' Triraphis'' See also * Spear grass (disambiguation) Spear grass or spear ...

. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''

Stipa ''Stipa'' is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, which also contains many species fo ...

''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. '' Achnatherum hymenoides'' was useful as a food source to Native Americans. ''

Achnatherum brachychaetum ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' is best known as a noxious weed.

Species

Species recognized by

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants ...

as of November 2019: Species previously included in ''Achnatherum'': * ''

Achnatherum acutum ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (Swallen) Valdés-Reyna & Barkworth * '' Achnatherum aridum'' (M.E.Jones) Barkworth - Mormon needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum bloomeri ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (Boland.) Barkworth - Bloomer's ricegrass * '' Achnatherum bromoides'' (L.) P. Beauv. * ''

'' (Godr.) Barkworth - punagrass * ''

Achnatherum capense ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (L.) P. Beauv. * '' Achnatherum caragana'' (Trin. & Rupr.) Nevski * '' Achnatherum caudatum'' (Trin.) S. L. W. Jacobs & J. Everett - Chilean ricegrass * '' Achnatherum clandestinum'' (Hack.) Barkworth - Mexican ricegrass * ''

Achnatherum contractum ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (B.L. Johnson) Barkworth - contracted ricegrass * ''

Achnatherum coronatum ''Stipa coronata'', formerly classified as ''Achnatherum coronatum'', is a greenish species of grass known by the common name crested needlegrass, giant ricegrass, and giant stipa.

'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - crested needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum curvifolium ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (Swallen) Barkworth - Guadalupe ricegrass * ''

Achnatherum diegoense ''Achnatherum diegoense'' is a species of grass known by the common name San Diego needlegrass. It is native to southern California, where it is known from San Diego and Ventura Counties and the Channel Islands, and Baja California. Descriptio ...

'' (Swallen) Barkworth - San Diego needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum duthiei ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (Hook.f.) P.C. Kuo & S.L. Lu * ''

Achnatherum editorum ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (E. Fourn.) Valdés-Reyna & Barkworth * ''

Achnatherum eminens ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (Cav.) Barkworth - southwestern needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum hendersonii ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Henderson's needlegrass * ''Achnatherum hymenoides'' (''

Oryzopsis hymenoides ''Eriocoma hymenoides'' (common names: Indian ricegrass and sand rice grass) is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass with narrow, rolled leaf blades.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd Ed., p287 It is native to western North America east ...

'') Ricker ex Piper - Indian ricegrass * '' Achnatherum latiglume'' (Swallen) Barkworth - wide-glumed needlegrass * '' Achnatherum lemmonii'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Lemmon's needlegrass * '' Achnatherum lettermanii'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Letterman's needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum lobatum ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (Swallen) Barkworth - lobed needlegrass * '' Achnatherum nelsonii'' (Scribn.) Barkworth - Nelson's needlegrass, Dore's needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum nevadense ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus ''Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ' ...

'' (B.L. Johnson) Barkworth - Nevada needlegrass * '' Achnatherum occidentale'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - western needlegrass * '' Achnatherum parishii'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Parish's needlegrass * '' Achnatherum perplexum'' Hoge & Barkworth - perplexing needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum pinetorum ''Eriocoma pinetorum'' is a species of grass known by the common names pinewoods needlegrass and pine needlegrass. It is native to most of the western United States from California to Montana to New Mexico, where it grows in woodland and fore ...

'' (M.E. Jones) Barkworth - pinewoods needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum richardsonii ''Achnatherum richardsonii'' is a species of grass known by the common names Richardson's needlegrass, spreading needlegrass, and Canada mountain-ricegrass. It is native to northwestern North America, where it is distributed from Alaska

'' (Link) Barkworth - Richardson's needlegrass * '' Achnatherum robustum'' (Vasey) Barkworth - sleepygrass * ''

Achnatherum roshevitzii ''Achnatherum roshevitzii'' (Roshevich's achnatherum) is a species of grass that is endemic to Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic ...

'' Mussajev - Roshevich's achnatherum * ''

Achnatherum scribneri ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (Vasey) Barkworth - Scribner needlegrass * '' Achnatherum speciosum'' Trin. & Rupr. - desert needlegrass * '' Achnatherum splendens'' (Trin.) Nevski * ''

Achnatherum stillmanii ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (Bol.) Barkworth - Stillman's needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum thurberianum ''Achnatherum thurberianum'' is a species of grass known by the common name Thurber's needlegrass. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs from Washington to California and east to Montana and Wyoming.Archer, Amy J. 2000''Achna ...

'' (Piper) Barkworth - Thurber's needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum swallenii ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (C.L. Hitchc. & Spellenb.) Barkworth - Swallen's needlegrass * ''

Achnatherum webberi ''Achnatherum'' is a genus of plants which includes several species of needlegrass. Several needlegrass species have been switched between ''Achnatherum'' and genus '' Stipa''; taxonomy between the two closely related genera is still uncertain. ...

'' (Thurb.) Barkworth - Webber needlegrass

References

* ''CRC World Dictionary of Grasses - Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology - Volume I (A - D)'', by

Umberto Quattrocchi Umberto is a masculine Italian given name. It is the Italian form of Humbert. People with the name include: * King Umberto I of Italy (1844–1900) * King Umberto II of Italy (1904–1983) * Prince Umberto, Count of Salemi (1889–1918) * Umberto ...

External links

USDA Plants Profile for ''Achnatherum'' speciesHerbarium.usu.edu: ''Achnatherum'' Genus key
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2414084 Grasses of North America Grasses of the United States Grasses of Mexico Native grasses of California Poaceae genera Taxa named by Palisot de Beauvois