Sources of the Naturalized Grasses and Herbs in California Grasslands

Abstract

The development of the Californian grassland flora as affected by topographic and climatic history is briefly outlined and grassland types are broadly classified. The geographical origins of naturalized Californian grass and forb species are compared with those of the whole Californian naturalized flora. The modes of introduction and adaptive changes of introduced weedy grasses and forb species are considered and the possibilities of the return of grassland dominance by bunch grasses (including native Stipa and Poa spp., and introduced Anthoxanthum odoratum) is discussed.