Stipa occidentalis
Western needlegrass
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Stipa occidentalis (Western needlegrass) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by parent species with varieties present.
Western needlegrass is a California native perennial grass found in dry grasslands and open woodlands across California's interior mountain ranges at elevations from 500 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this grass produces delicate pale tan to silver-colored flower clusters with narrow, gracefully arching spikes 5 to 30 centimeters long. Growing with slender stems 1.4 to 12 decimeters tall, it forms dense, elegant tufts with fine, inrolled leaf blades less than 3 millimeters wide. Its leaves have narrow, often hairy sheaths and fine blades that create soft, feathery clusters, with each flower featuring a distinctive twisted awn 15 to 55 millimeters long. The grass's sharp, hairy seed callus and persistent awns help it disperse by catching onto animal fur and clothing.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; parent species with varieties present
Habitat and range
California counties: San Bernardino, Fresno, Los Angeles, Tulare, Riverside, Tuolumne, Inyo, Mono, Calaveras, Ventura, Nevada, El Dorado, Placer, Trinity, Mariposa, Del Norte, Alpine, Shasta, Humboldt, Tehama, Lassen, Siskiyou, Butte, Plumas, Madera
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 occidentalis native to California?
Yes. Stipa occidentalis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Stipa occidentalis grow?
Stipa occidentalis occurs in San Bernardino, Fresno, Los Angeles, Tulare, Riverside, Tuolumne, Inyo, Mono and other counties.
What plant family does Stipa occidentalis belong to?
Stipa occidentalis is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Stipa occidentalis var. californica — California needle grass
- Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis — Western needle grass
- Stipa occidentalis var. pubescens — Common western needle grass
- Stipa parishii var. parishii — Parish's needlegrass
- Stipa pinetorum — Pinewoods needle grass
- Stipa pulchra — Purple needle grass
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.