Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by glaucous habit and open inflorescence.
Tufted hairgrass is a California native perennial found in northern coastal bioregions in coastal marshes and meadows at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale green to silvery-gray flowers in open panicles with drooping lower branches. Growing in loose, glaucous clumps with spreading stems, it forms delicate grass clusters typically 30 to 60 centimeters tall. Its leaves are generally blue-green, forming dense tufts with fine, narrow blades that create a soft, mounded appearance. The plant's distinctive spikelets feature delicate awns that extend beyond the lemma, giving the grass a feathery, intricate texture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; distinguished by glaucous habit and open inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal marshes and meadows
Elevation: < 800 m
Outside California: Alaska, eastern Asia (Kamchatka Peninsula)
Bloom period
Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Oloptum: Deschampsia has hairy spikelet extensions and thread-like basal leaves; Oloptum lacks the fuzzy extension and has wiry, needle-like leaves.; vs Festuca: Deschampsia has airy, open panicles with fuzzy spikelet extensions; Festuca has denser flower clusters without hairy extensions.; vs Panicum: Deschampsia forms basal leaf tufts with hairy spikelet extensions; Panicum has stem leaves and smooth, rounded spikelets.; vs Melica: Deschampsia has hairy spikelet extensions; Melica has a distinctive club-shaped sterile floret cluster at spikelet tips.; vs Poa: Deschampsia has prominent hairy extensions beyond florets; Poa has boat-shaped lemmas with cobwebby hairs at the base only.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis native to California?
Yes. Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis bloom?
Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis belong to?
Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis is in the Poaceae family, genus Deschampsia.
What habitat does Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis grow in?
Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. beringensis grows in Coastal marshes and meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.