Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula
Long-tongue mutton grass, Long-Tongue Mutton Grass
Photo: parent species Poa fendleriana · (c) Martin Purdy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula (Long-tongue mutton grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by long ligule (1.5-18mm) with smooth margins.
Long-tongue mutton grass is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains on slopes from sagebrush scrub to subalpine areas at elevations of 2,000 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from April to July, this grass produces delicate pale green to whitish flower clusters with soft, hairy lemmas. Growing in loose tufts 30 to 60 centimeters tall with slender, upright stems, it forms distinctive grass clumps in alpine and mountain landscapes. Its leaves feature notably long ligules measuring 1.5 to 18 millimeters, with flat blades 1.5 to 4 millimeters wide and smooth margins. The plant's lemmas are characterized by distinctive hairy keels and marginal veins, giving it a soft, textured appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; diagnostic long ligule (1.5-18mm) with smooth margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Slopes, sagebrush scrub to subalpine
Elevation: 2000-3200 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, South Dakota, New Mexico, Baja California
Bloom period
Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula blooms Apr-Jul.
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 fendleriana subsp. longiligula native to California?
Yes. Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula bloom?
Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula belong to?
Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
What habitat does Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula grow in?
Poa fendleriana subsp. longiligula grows in Slopes, sagebrush scrub to subalpine.
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.