Piptatherum coerulescens (Desf.) Beauv.

Family: GRAMINEAE (POACEAE)

Genus: Piptatherum

Sinònims: Oryzopsis coerulescens (Desf.) Hackel

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Rock crevices and cliff faces. Torrents. Dry slopes.

Characteristics: A Gramene living in the cracks in rocks, generally near the coast and in very hot places. It has leaves folded back on themselves with a slightly rush-like appearance, without actually becoming rigid. The spiklets have the most distinguishing feautres: they are pedunculate, small, more or less oval, and stained violet. It can be mistaken for Melica minuta subsp. minuta, which can colonize similar rocky places; we will distinguish them quickly because the spikelets of Oryzopsis coerulescens have a small awn whereas the ones of Melica minuta do not. It flowers at the end of spring.