Poa stebbinsii
Stebbins's blue grass
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Poa stebbinsii (Stebbins's blue grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Stebbins's blue grass is a California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains in subalpine to lower alpine mesic meadows at elevations of 2,700 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces delicate, slender inflorescences 3 to 7 centimeters long that are narrowly lanceolate and dense to sparsely arranged. Growing in tufted clusters 10 to 35 centimeters tall, it forms compact, slightly dioecious clumps with slender stems. Its leaf blades are firm and folded, with upper surfaces finely hairy and leaf sheaths open for three-fifths to four-fifths of their length. The plant's lemmas are thin, smooth to barely scabrous, measuring 3.7 to 5.5 millimeters long, with clear ligules 2.5 to 6 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Subalpine to lower alpine mesic meadows
Elevation: 2700-3700 m
California counties: Mono, Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Inyo, Madera, Alpine
Bloom period
Poa stebbinsii blooms Jun-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 stebbinsii native to California?
Yes. Poa stebbinsii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Poa stebbinsii bloom?
Poa stebbinsii blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Poa stebbinsii grow?
Poa stebbinsii occurs in Mono, Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Inyo, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 2700-3700 m.
What plant family does Poa stebbinsii belong to?
Poa stebbinsii is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
What habitat does Poa stebbinsii grow in?
Poa stebbinsii grows in Subalpine to lower alpine mesic meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.