Cinna bolanderi
Bolander's woodreed
(c) Chris Winchell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Cinna bolanderi (Bolander's woodreed) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Bolander's woodreed is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains in streambanks, wet meadows, and moist conifer forest sites at elevations of 1,850 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces green to golden-green inflorescences 7.5 to 43 centimeters long with delicate, fine-textured flower clusters. Growing with tall, slender stems 85 to 200 centimeters high, it forms graceful clumps in moist mountain environments. Its leaves are characterized by narrow blades 2 to 19 millimeters wide and ligules 3.5 to 7 millimeters long, creating a soft, feathery appearance. The flower spikelets feature lower glumes 3.5 to 5 millimeters long with lemmas typically 3 to 4.5 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated species with no sympatric congeners
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, wet meadows, moist sites in conifer forest
Elevation: 1850-2400 m
Bloom period
Cinna bolanderi blooms Jul-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Apera: Apera is an annual with drooping panicles; Cinna is perennial in moist forest shade.; vs Calamagrostis: Calamagrostis has 3 stamens and hairy callus; Cinna has 1-2 stamens.; vs Ammophila: Ammophila forms dense cylindrical spikes on beaches; Cinna has open panicles in forests.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinna bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Cinna bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cinna bolanderi bloom?
Cinna bolanderi blooms Jul-Sep.
What plant family does Cinna bolanderi belong to?
Cinna bolanderi is in the Poaceae family, genus Cinna.
Is Cinna bolanderi rare or endangered?
Cinna bolanderi carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2S3.
What habitat does Cinna bolanderi grow in?
Cinna bolanderi grows in Streambanks, wet meadows, moist sites in conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · 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.