Dasyochloa pulchella

Fluffgrass


Fluffgrass Environment

The super-arid rocky environment of Fluffgrass. The patch of grass is the tiny yellow one in the middle bottom of the photo.

 Close-up of Fluffgrass Patch

Close view of the same two-inch tall patch with white fluff. Exceptionally, Fluffgrass can grow to two feet tall.

 The Tiny Seedheads of Fluffgrass

The seedheads hide the fluffy florets inside, with glumes and bristles protruding. Also, each floret contains a straight eighth-inch awn.

Six Fluffgrass Plants

The sizes of six Fluffgrass plants on quarter-inch graph paper.

 The Seedhead of Fluffgrass

The seedhead is thickly bunched with fluffy white florets containing seeds inside.

 The Fluffy Seeds Missing

An old panicle has lost its fluff and seeds to the wind.

This Spikelet Has Seeds

This spikelet, with several florets, retains a couple fluffy "seeds."

 Another Spikelet

Another typical crowded spikelet. One spikelet can contain as many as 20 fluffy florets.

 Spindly Roots

A couple spindly roots.

How to Identify Fluffgrass

  The usually small size, crowded panicles, and balls of fluff inside make this grass easy to identify.

Similar Species

  False Buffalograss (Munroa squarosa) resembles Fluffgrass, and it has hairs but not enough to call it fluffy. Sclerochloa dura (Hard Grass) is prostrate like Fluffgrass but its glumes are tough and hard, quite different.