Polypogon sp.
Beard grass, Beard Grass
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Polypogon sp. (Beard grass) is a non-native California perennial in the Poaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Lagurus: Beard grass has loose fuzzy heads in wet areas; hare's tail has dense white-woolly oval heads in dry areas.; vs Cynosurus: Beard grass has soft fuzzy bristled heads; dogtail has hard one-sided spike-like heads.; vs Hordeum: Beard grass has soft fuzzy heads; barley has stiff, harsh-awned spike-like heads.; vs Setaria: Beard grass spikelets fall intact; foxtail bristles remain on stem after seeds fall.; vs Trifolium: Polypogon is a grass with fuzzy flower spikes; Trifolium is a legume with clover-leaf clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polypogon sp. native to California?
No. Polypogon sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Polypogon sp. belong to?
Polypogon sp. is in the Poaceae family, genus Polypogon.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Polypogon viridis — Water beard grass
- Polypogon australis — Chilean beard grass
- Polypogon imberbis — Streambank rabbits foot grass
- Polypogon interruptus — Ditch beard grass
- Polypogon maritimus — Mediterranean beard grass
- Polypogon monspeliensis — Annual beard grass
- Puccinellia distans — European alkali grass
- Puccinellia howellii — Howell's alkali grass
- Puccinellia lemmonii — Lemmon's alkali grass
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.