Agrostis densiflora
California bent grass
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Agrostis densiflora (California bent grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by very low coastal elevation, dense cylindrical inflorescence, and wide leaf blades.
California bent grass is a California native perennial found in coastal bioregions including northern Coast, central Coast, and western San Francisco Bay in coastal bluffs and sandy soils at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from May to August, this grass produces delicate pale green to white flowers in dense, cylindrical clusters approximately 2 to 10 centimeters long. Growing 9 to 85 centimeters tall with slender, erect stems, it forms clustered tufts with flat, narrow leaves 2 to 12 centimeters long and 2 to 10 millimeters wide. Its leaves have distinctive ligules 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, and each flower cluster contains minute spikelets with fine, acute-tipped glumes. The plant's flowers feature small anthers approximately 0.5 millimeters long and occasionally produce delicate, straight awns less than 3.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; key features are very low coastal elevation, dense cylindrical inflorescence, and wide leaf blades
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal bluffs, sandy soils
Elevation: < 200 m
California counties: Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Yolo, Lake, Napa, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Mariposa, Del Norte
Outside California: to Oregon
Bloom period
Agrostis densiflora blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Oloptum: Oloptum has prominent bent awns; Agrostis awns are tiny or absent.; vs Holcus: Holcus has velvety-hairy spikelets; Agrostis spikelets are smooth and glossy.; vs Polypogon: Polypogon has dense bristly panicles; Agrostis panicles are airy and delicate.; vs Poa: Poa has boat-shaped lemmas with 5 veins; Agrostis lemmas are rounded with faint veins.; vs Festuca: Festuca has multiple flowers per spikelet; Agrostis has single-flowered spikelets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Agrostis densiflora native to California?
Yes. Agrostis densiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Agrostis densiflora bloom?
Agrostis densiflora blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Agrostis densiflora grow?
Agrostis densiflora occurs in Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Yolo, Lake, Napa, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of < 200 m.
What plant family does Agrostis densiflora belong to?
Agrostis densiflora is in the Poaceae family, genus Agrostis.
What habitat does Agrostis densiflora grow in?
Agrostis densiflora grows in Coastal bluffs, sandy soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.