Agrostis humilis

Mountain bent grass, mountain bent grass, mountain bent grass

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Mountain bent grass is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in subalpine and alpine meadows and slopes at elevations of 1,500 to 3,350 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces green to purple flowers in delicate, open panicles 1.5 to 14 centimeters long. Growing in dense tufts 5 to 50 centimeters tall with erect to ascending stems, it forms compact clusters with fine, wiry growth. Its mostly basal leaves are narrow, 2 to 15 centimeters long and 1 to 4 millimeters wide, ranging from flat to slightly folded. The tiny flowers feature minute callus hairs and delicate green to purple glumes, creating a subtle, elegant grass-like appearance.

Habitat: Moist to dry, subalpine or alpine meadows, slopes

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 1500-3350 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoRH, CaRH, c&amps SNH

California counties: Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Siskiyou, Tehama, Tulare, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Madera, Riverside, Shasta, Sierra

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.