Phyllospadix scouleri

Scouler's surfgrass

Family: Zosteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Scouler's surfgrass is a California native perennial found in coastal bioregions including northern California Coast, central California Coast, southern California Coast, and Channel Islands, inhabiting surf zones and rocky intertidal areas from below mean low tide to 2 meters depth. Flowering from April to July, this marine plant produces inconspicuous flowers within narrow bracts. Growing as a dense, flexible marine grass with long, ribbon-like leaves that sway with ocean currents, it forms extensive underwater meadows along rocky shorelines. Its leaves are narrow, green to olive-colored, and can reach lengths of 30 to 60 centimeters, providing critical habitat for marine organisms. The fruit is approximately 3.5 millimeters long, adapted to surviving in the dynamic wave-swept environments of the Pacific coastline.

Habitat: Surf zones, rocky shores, intertidal, subtidal

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 0-2 m below mean low tide

Bioregions: NCo, CCo, SCo, ChI

California counties: Monterey, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Mendocino, Orange, San Mateo, Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco

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