Nassella lepida (syn. Stipa lepida) is a species of grass known by the common names foothill needlegrass,[1] [2] foothills nassella,[3] foothill stipa, small-flowered stipa, small-flowered needlegrass, and smallflower tussockgrass.[4]
It is native to California in the United States, where it occurs as far north as Humboldt County,[4] and its range extends into Baja California.[2]
This is a perennial bunchgrass growing up to a meter tall. The flat or rolled leaf blades are up to 23 centimeters long. The panicle is up to 55 centimeters long and has branches bearing up to 6 spikelets each The spikelet has an awn up to 4.6[2] to 5.5[3] centimeters long.
This grass grows in chaparral and grassland habitat.[2] It can also be found in coastal sage scrub and coastal prairie.[4]
This species and several others were recently transferred from genus Stipa into Nassella, mainly on the basis of their "strongly convolute lemmas". Genetic evidence supports the transfer.[3]
This species may hybridize with Nassella pulchra.[3]