Alopecurus aequalis
Short-awn foxtail
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Alopecurus aequalis (Short-awn foxtail) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Short-awn foxtail is a native perennial herb found in wetlands and moist habitats across northern California's coastal and inland regions. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces small green to pale yellow flowers in dense, cylindrical spikes about 3 to 7.5 centimeters long. Growing with slender, upright stems 15 to 47 centimeters tall, it forms delicate grass-like clumps with fine, soft foliage. Its leaves are narrow, ranging 2.5 to 10 centimeters in length and just 1 to 5 millimeters wide, with a distinctive ligule 2 to 5.5 millimeters long. The plant's tiny anthers and straight lemma awns contribute to its delicate, feathery appearance in moist grassland environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Lake, Riverside, Tulare, Placer, Sonoma, Sacramento, Butte, Trinity, Shasta, El Dorado, Inyo, Mariposa, Alpine, San Mateo
How to tell it apart
vs Hordeum: Alopecurus has soft, single bristles; Hordeum has stiff, spreading bristles in groups of three.; vs Phalaris: Alopecurus has bristles from each flower; Phalaris has awnless, egg-shaped spikes.; vs Phleum: Alopecurus has a bristle from each flower; Phleum is awnless with a smoother cylinder.; vs Plantago: Alopecurus is a grass; Plantago has broad, basal leaves and is not a grass.; vs Cenchrus: Alopecurus has a fuzzy cylinder; Cenchrus has spiny burs enclosing seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alopecurus aequalis native to California?
Yes. Alopecurus aequalis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Alopecurus aequalis grow?
Alopecurus aequalis occurs in Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Nevada and other counties.
What plant family does Alopecurus aequalis belong to?
Alopecurus aequalis is in the Poaceae family, genus Alopecurus.
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.