Aristida purpurea var. parishii
Parish three-awn
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Aristida purpurea var. parishii (Parish three-awn) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Parish three-awn is a native perennial grass found in southern California coastal regions, San Bernardino Mountains, and desert areas in dry slopes, plains, chaparral, and shrubland at elevations of 200 to 1,300 meters. Flowering from February to November, this grass produces reddish to straw-colored spikelets with distinctive awns. Growing with slender stems 15 to 25 centimeters tall, it has a characteristic clumping grass habit with stiff, straight branches. Its leaves are cauline, generally 10 to 20 centimeters long and mostly flat, with spikelets featuring lower glumes 7 to 11 millimeters long and upper glumes 10 to 15 millimeters long. The plant's most distinctive feature is its long, thin awns measuring 20 to 30 millimeters, which are approximately 0.2 to 0.3 millimeters wide at the base.
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, plains, chaparral, shrubland
Elevation: 200-1300 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara
Outside California: southern Nevada, Baja California
Bloom period
Aristida purpurea var. parishii blooms Feb-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Muhlenbergia: Aristida always has three awns per seed; Muhlenbergia has one awn or none.; vs Hilaria: Aristida has three awns on each spikelet; Hilaria has spikelets grouped in threes with single awns.; vs Bromus: Aristida's three thin straight awns are unmistakable; Bromus has single awns and papery seed coverings.; vs Schismus: Aristida has three long awns per seed; Schismus is a tiny annual with no awns at all.; vs Stipa: Aristida has three straight awns; Stipa has one twisted, bent awn.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aristida purpurea var. parishii native to California?
Yes. Aristida purpurea var. parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Aristida purpurea var. parishii bloom?
Aristida purpurea var. parishii blooms Feb-Nov.
Where in California does Aristida purpurea var. parishii grow?
Aristida purpurea var. parishii occurs in San Bernardino, Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, at elevations of 200-1300 m.
What plant family does Aristida purpurea var. parishii belong to?
Aristida purpurea var. parishii is in the Poaceae family, genus Aristida.
What habitat does Aristida purpurea var. parishii grow in?
Aristida purpurea var. parishii grows in dry slopes, plains, chaparral, shrubland.
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.