Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii
Marsh's blue grass, Marsh's Blue Grass
Photo: parent species Poa abbreviata · (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii (Marsh's blue grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Marsh's blue grass is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the White Mountains on high alpine open ground at elevations generally over 3,300 meters. Flowering in July, this plant produces delicate blue-green grass flowers in small, cobwebby spikelets. Growing with fine, slender stems typical of alpine environments, it forms compact clusters in exposed mountain terrain. Its leaves feature distinctive short ligules between 1 to 3 millimeters long, with lemmas that are smoothly glabrous. The tiny anthers, measuring approximately 0.6 to 1 millimeter, contribute to its delicate alpine adaptation.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: High alpine open ground
Elevation: generally > 3300 m
Outside California: to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada
Bloom period
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii blooms Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Festuca: Poa has boat-shaped, keeled leaf tips; Festuca leaves are flat or rolled but never keeled like a ship's prow.; vs Melica: Poa has fine, narrow leaves with boat-shaped tips; Melica has wider, flat leaves without the distinctive keel.; vs Nassella: Poa leaves have boat-shaped tips you can feel; Nassella leaves roll inward and lack the keel.; vs Koeleria: Poa has cobwebby hairs at seed base and keeled leaf tips; Koeleria lacks both features.; vs Holcus: Poa has boat-shaped leaf tips; Holcus leaves are flat and soft-hairy without any keel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii native to California?
Yes. Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii bloom?
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii blooms Jul.
What plant family does Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii belong to?
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
Is Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii rare or endangered?
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S1.
What habitat does Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii grow in?
Poa abbreviata subsp. marshii grows in High alpine open ground.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.