Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Pleuraphis jamesii (syn. Hilaria jamesii) is a species of grass known by the common name James' galleta. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it is widespread in scrub, woodland, grassland, and plateau habitat. It is tolerant of arid environments such as desert floors. It is a rhizomatous perennial grass producing bunches of erect stems approximately one millimeter wide and up to about 60 centimeters in maximum height. The woody rhizome is shallow, spreading just under the soil surface, but it may reach 6 feet in length and when dense helps the grass form a sod. The flower cluster is a series of hairy, rectangular spikelets. The grass produces relatively little viable seed and spreads mostly via its rhizome.

Plant type

Grass

Size

2 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Brown

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Extremely Low, Very Low

Soil drainage

Fast

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Sunset Zones

1, 2, 3*, 7, 8*, 9*, 10*, 11*, 12*, 13*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24

Site type

Dry, sandy or rocky places

Plant communities

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland