Pelos Del Diablo (Aristida portoricensis)
Description
Aristida portoricensis is a rare species of grass known by the common name pelos del diablo ("hair of the devil").It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known from two locations, one in a residential area of Mayaguez and one in the Sierra Bermeja.Two other known sites have been extirpated by development of the habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.This is a perennial grass producing a tuft of stems up to 30 to 50 centimeters tall.The inflorescence is a narrow panicle a few centimeters in length. Its habitat includes subtropical wet forests and grassland on soils of clay and serpentine origin.Development of the Sierra Bermeja is a potential threat for the grass and many other endemic plant species. Vandalism of the few remaining plants is also a potential threat.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Poales
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Family: Poaceae
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Genus: Aristida
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