Apera spica-venti
Loose silky bent
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Apera spica-venti (Loose silky bent) is a non-native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by . Found only in low elevation valleys and southern ranges.
Loose silky bent is a naturalized annual grass found in northern San Joaquin Valley near La Grange in eastern Stanislaus County and southern Coast Ranges at elevations of 90 to 430 meters in disturbed and open sites. Flowering from May to June, this grass produces pale green to whitish flower clusters in delicate, open panicles 8 to 25 centimeters long. Growing with slender stems 20 to 120 centimeters tall, sometimes forming loose tufts, it has a spreading and somewhat variable growth habit. Its leaf blades are 3 to 5 millimeters wide, nearly smooth to slightly rough on the upper surface, with ligules 3 to 9 millimeters long. The flower spikelets feature small glumes 1.5 to 3 millimeters long and lemmas with a distinctive 4 to 9 millimeter awn.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated (0 sympatric species). Found only in low elevation valleys and southern ranges.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed and open sites
Elevation: 90-430 m
Outside California: reported elsewhere in North America, native to temperate Europe
Bloom period
Apera spica-venti blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Cinna: Apera is an annual weed of disturbed sites; Cinna is perennial in moist forests.; vs Calamagrostis: Apera is annual with sparse callus hairs; Calamagrostis is perennial with tufted callus.; vs Ammophila: Ammophila has dense cylindrical spikes; Apera has loose drooping panicles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apera spica-venti native to California?
No. Apera spica-venti is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Apera spica-venti bloom?
Apera spica-venti blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Apera spica-venti belong to?
Apera spica-venti is in the Poaceae family, genus Apera.
What habitat does Apera spica-venti grow in?
Apera spica-venti grows in Disturbed and open sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.