Panicum acuminatum var. thermale

Geysers panicum

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Geysers panicum is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges and High Cascade Range regions in peaty meadows and hot spring areas at elevations of 500 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces delicate, small spikelet flowers approximately 2 millimeters long in subtle inflorescences. Growing with stems 10 to 80 centimeters tall, it develops soft, spreading vegetation characteristic of thermal meadow environments. Its leaves are distinctive, with soft-hairy blades 4 to 10 centimeters long and 5 to 12 millimeters wide, featuring a notably soft, downy texture on the underside. The plant's unique adaptation to hot spring and fumarole environments makes it a specialized meadow grass with remarkable thermal tolerance.

Habitat: Peaty meadows and pockets, often at hot springs and fumaroles

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: 500-2700 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, CaRH.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.