Stipa exigua
Little rice grass
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Stipa exigua (Little rice grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by small size and short awn with single bend.
Little rice grass is a native perennial grass found in the northeastern California High Desert and Modoc Plateau in rocky sagebrush scrub slopes at elevations of 1,800 to 2,400 meters. Flowering in June, this delicate grass produces pale, subtle flowers in dense, compact clusters. Growing with slender stems 12 to 40 centimeters tall, it features narrow leaves that are typically folded and less than 1.5 millimeters wide. Its leaves are predominantly glabrous, with sheaths that occasionally become slightly rough toward the tips. The grass produces distinctive lemmas with short, bent awns that persist after the flowering period, giving the plant a subtle, textured appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; small size and short awn with single bend are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes in sagebrush scrub
Elevation: 1800-2400 m
California counties: Lassen, Sierra
Outside California: to British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Stipa exigua blooms Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
How to tell it apart
vs Nassella: Nassella has feathery plumose awns; Stipa awns are scabrous (rough) not plumose.; vs Oloptum: Oloptum has twice-bent awns with dense crown; Stipa has once-bent awns.; vs Eriocoma: Eriocoma has densely hairy lemmas; Stipa lemmas are smooth to scabrous.; vs Pappostipa: Pappostipa has plumose awns; Stipa awns are rough but not feathery.; vs Bromus: Bromus has multiple-flowered spikelets; Stipa has single-flowered spikelets with bent awns.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stipa exigua native to California?
Yes. Stipa exigua is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stipa exigua bloom?
Stipa exigua blooms Jun.
Where in California does Stipa exigua grow?
Stipa exigua occurs in Lassen, Sierra, at elevations of 1800-2400 m.
What plant family does Stipa exigua belong to?
Stipa exigua is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
Is Stipa exigua rare or endangered?
Stipa exigua carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · 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.