Tuctoria greenei
Greene's tuctoria, Greene's Tuctoria
Sarah Gordon (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC0
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
Tuctoria greenei (Greene's tuctoria) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by . Key features: whitish anthers, 9-13 veined lemmas.
Greene's tuctoria is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the Great Valley and Modoc Plateau bioregions, specifically in Butte, Fresno, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tehama, Tulare counties and Shasta County in vernal pools at elevations below 1,050 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white to pale anthers on delicate spikelets. Growing with erect to decumbent stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall, often with purplish nodes, it has a distinctive curved appearance. Its narrow leaves are 2 to 3 centimeters long, less than 5 millimeters wide, and curve outward from the stem. The fruit is slightly flattened and oblong, with spikelets featuring 3 to 5 millimeter glumes that have irregularly short-toothed tips.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated with 0 sympatric species. Key features: whitish anthers, 9-13 veined lemmas
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernal pools
Elevation: < 1050 m
California counties: Butte, Merced, Fresno, Stanislaus, Tehama, Madera, San Joaquin, Tulare, Shasta, Glenn
Bloom period
Tuctoria greenei blooms May-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
Frequently asked questions
Is Tuctoria greenei native to California?
Yes. Tuctoria greenei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Tuctoria greenei bloom?
Tuctoria greenei blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Tuctoria greenei grow?
Tuctoria greenei occurs in Butte, Merced, Fresno, Stanislaus, Tehama, Madera, San Joaquin, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 1050 m.
What plant family does Tuctoria greenei belong to?
Tuctoria greenei is in the Poaceae family, genus Tuctoria.
Is Tuctoria greenei rare or endangered?
Tuctoria greenei carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
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.