Agrostis hooveri
Hoover's bent grass, Hoover's bent grass, Hoover's bent grass
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Agrostis hooveri (Hoover's bent grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by geographic restriction to two counties, tomentose leaf sheaths, and very long inflorescence branches.
Hoover's bent grass is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern Central Coast and southern South Coast Ranges in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, growing in dry sandy soils, open chaparral, and oak woodland at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from April to August, this grass produces delicate, open panicles with thread-like branches and small greenish-white spikelets. Growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall with ascending stems, it develops fine, soft leaf sheaths and slender flat leaves that become inrolled. Its leaves are 10 to 16 centimeters long and 1 to 2 millimeters wide, with distinctive ligules 4 to 6 millimeters in length. The grass features short lemmas with bent awns emerging below the middle, creating a subtle, graceful appearance in its native habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; key features are geographic restriction to two counties, tomentose leaf sheaths, and very long inflorescence branches
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry sandy soils, open chaparral, oak woodland
Elevation: < 600 m
Bloom period
Agrostis hooveri blooms Apr-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 hooveri native to California?
Yes. Agrostis hooveri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Agrostis hooveri bloom?
Agrostis hooveri blooms Apr-Aug.
What plant family does Agrostis hooveri belong to?
Agrostis hooveri is in the Poaceae family, genus Agrostis.
Is Agrostis hooveri rare or endangered?
Agrostis hooveri carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
What habitat does Agrostis hooveri grow in?
Agrostis hooveri grows in dry sandy soils, open chaparral, oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.