Hilaria rigida (big galleta grass) is a C4 bunchgrass in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the southwestern United States. The root systems of this species can extend over 1 m from the plants and to about 1 m depth in the soil. Root length and distribution may be restricted in more rocky soils. This photograph was taken at Agave Hill, a research area near Palm Springs, California.

With:
Park S. Nobel, Professor, Department of Biology
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Funded by the United States Department of Energy