Tridens muticus var. muticus
Slim tridens
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Tridens muticus var. muticus (Slim tridens) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by Range edge population; genus primarily distributed in Great Plains and southwestern US.
Slim tridens is a California native perennial found in northeastern Peninsular Ranges and desert regions in dry, rocky limestone soils of creosote-bush scrub and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to May and October to November, this grass produces pale to light purple flowers in narrow, compact inflorescences 4 to 20 centimeters long. Growing with tufted stems 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms short rhizomes and develops dense, fine-textured clumps. Its narrow leaves are 3 to 25 centimeters long, typically 1 to 4 millimeters wide, and inrolled with slightly scabrous surfaces. The plant's spikelets are 8 to 13 millimeters long, with densely hairy callus and lemmas that are often purple-tinged.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Range edge population; genus primarily distributed in Great Plains and southwestern US
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, rocky, generally limestone soils, creosote-bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside
Outside California: southwestern and south-central United States, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Tridens muticus var. muticus blooms Apr-May, Oct--Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Muhlenbergia: Tridens spikelets hold several florets each; Muhlenbergia spikelets have a single floret, often with a slender awn.; vs Eragrostis: Tridens lemmas are 3-veined and hairy along the veins near the base; Eragrostis lemmas are 3-veined but glabrous, in strongly flattened spikelets.; vs Festuca: Tridens lemmas show 3 prominent, hairy veins and a blunt or mucronate tip; fescues (Festuca) have 5-veined, glabrous lemmas usually tapering to a fine awn.; vs Sporobolus: Tridens has several-flowered spikelets in a narrow panicle; dropseeds (Sporobolus) have 1-flowered spikelets and a seed that falls free of the fruit wall.; vs Poa: Tridens lemmas are 3-veined and hairy-veined without a cobwebby base; bluegrass (Poa) lemmas are 5-veined, keeled, and often have a tuft of cobwebby hairs at the base.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tridens muticus var. muticus native to California?
Yes. Tridens muticus var. muticus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tridens muticus var. muticus bloom?
Tridens muticus var. muticus blooms Apr-May, Oct--Nov.
Where in California does Tridens muticus var. muticus grow?
Tridens muticus var. muticus occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Tridens muticus var. muticus belong to?
Tridens muticus var. muticus is in the Poaceae family, genus Tridens.
What habitat does Tridens muticus var. muticus grow in?
Tridens muticus var. muticus grows in Dry, rocky, generally limestone soils, creosote-bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland.
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.