Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis
Western needle grass
Photo: parent species Stipa occidentalis · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis (Western needle grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by purple glumes and uniform awn hair length.
Western needle grass is a native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada, Peninsular Ranges, and eastern Sierra Nevada in conifer forest and alpine areas at elevations of 1,200 to 3,450 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces pale purple to gray-tinged flowers with distinctive long awns. Growing with slender stems 14 to 50 centimeters tall and less than 1 millimeter in diameter, it forms delicate, open tufts. Its narrow leaf blades are 0.3 to 2 millimeters wide, with smooth sheaths that are generally glabrous. The plant's most distinctive feature is its intricate seed head with an awn 15 to 42 millimeters long, densely hairy along its lower segments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; distinguished by purple glumes and uniform awn hair length
Habitat and range
Habitat: Conifer forest, alpine areas
Elevation: 1200-3450 m
California counties: Tulare, San Bernardino, Fresno, El Dorado, Mono, Tuolumne, Nevada, Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Humboldt, Inyo, Stanislaus, Kern, Alpine, Los Angeles, Mariposa
Outside California: to Washington, Idaho, Utah
Bloom period
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis blooms Jun-Aug.
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 var. occidentalis native to California?
Yes. Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis bloom?
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis grow?
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis occurs in Tulare, San Bernardino, Fresno, El Dorado, Mono, Tuolumne, Nevada, Siskiyou and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3450 m.
What plant family does Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis belong to?
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis is in the Poaceae family, genus Stipa.
What habitat does Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis grow in?
Stipa occidentalis var. occidentalis grows in Conifer forest, alpine areas.
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.