SafePlants

Needle Grama (Bouteloua aristidoides)

Needle grama, scientifically known as Bouteloua aristidoides, is a native grass found in various regions of the United States and Mexico. This page provides information about its taxonomy, distribution, characteristics, and more.

Common Names

• Needle grama
• Sixweeks needle grama

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Bouteloua aristidoides (Kunth) Griseb.
• Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Varieties:
  • Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides
  • Bouteloua aristidoides var. arizonica M.E. Jones

Distribution and Habitat

• Needle grama is native to Texas and other states.
• It is found in Southern California, particularly in the Peninsular Range, the Mojave Desert, and the Sonoran Desert.
• It is also found in southern New Mexico.
• One observation noted it near the Vermilion Cliffs in the Southern Great Basin Desert.
• It's also found in mountainous regions of the Western U.S. between 5,500 and 8,200 feet.

Morphological Characteristics

• Needle grama can be either an annual or perennial grass.
• It typically has slender stems.
• The florets are narrow and tipped with awns, giving the grass a needle-like appearance.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant's name comes from the needle-like tips on the florets which are tipped with awns.

Ecological Role

• Gramma grasses, in general, are an important forage grass.
• In Arizona, they are described as the most important forage grasses.
• It occurs in association with sixweeks grama in southern New Mexico.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Needle grama is a forage grass for American wildlife.