Poa cusickii subsp. epilis
Skyline blue grass, Skyline Blue Grass
Photo: parent species Poa cusickii · (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Poa cusickii subsp. epilis (Skyline blue grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by . Key features: apomictic reproduction, exposed nodes, sparse basal tuft, dense inflorescence.
Skyline blue grass is a native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in moist subalpine snowbeds and thickets at elevations of 2,400 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from July to August, this grass produces delicate pale flower clusters in dense, compact inflorescences 3 to 6 centimeters long. Growing with sparse basal tufts and stems that expose 1 to 2 nodes, it forms elegant clumps in high-altitude environments. Its leaf sheaths open partially along the stem length, with branches that are nearly smooth and appressed. This distinctive blue grass reproduces asexually through pistillate flowers, with lemmas 4 to 5.8 millimeters long and glabrous surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species. Key features: apomictic reproduction, exposed nodes, sparse basal tuft, dense inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist subalpine, especially snowbeds, thickets
Elevation: 2400-3600 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Poa cusickii subsp. epilis blooms Jul-Aug.
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 cusickii subsp. epilis native to California?
Yes. Poa cusickii subsp. epilis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Poa cusickii subsp. epilis bloom?
Poa cusickii subsp. epilis blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Poa cusickii subsp. epilis belong to?
Poa cusickii subsp. epilis is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
What habitat does Poa cusickii subsp. epilis grow in?
Poa cusickii subsp. epilis grows in Moist subalpine, especially snowbeds, thickets.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.