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Taxon  Report  
Sphenopholis obtusata  (Michx.) Scribn.
Prairie wedge grass,   Prairie wedgescale,   Wedgegrass
Sphenopholis obtusata is a perennial grasslike herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
California Rare Plant Rank: 2B.2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA; common elsewhere).
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~60 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Sphenopholis
Family: Poaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Monocot
Jepson eFlora section: monocot

Wetlands: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Habitat: meadows

Communities: Foothill Woodland, wetland-riparian

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
PLANTSAira obtusata
PLANTSSphenopholis obtusata var. lobata
PLANTSSphenopholis obtusata var. pubescens
Information about  Sphenopholis obtusata from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (SPOB)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Range, Description: Sphenopholis obtusata is a species of grass known by the common names prairie wedgescale and prairie wedge grass. It is native to North America where it is widespread across southern Canada and the United States. It occurs in many types of habitat, including prairie, marshes, dunes, and disturbed areas. Description Sphenopholis obtusata is a perennial bunchgrass growing 20 centimeters to well over one meter in maximum height. The short leaves have ligules with jagged tips. The inflorescence is generally a dense, spikelike panicle of oval-shaped spikelets. The inflorescence is greenish white, darkening brownish as it matures. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 11/21/2024).