Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Saskatchewan and Colorado.
Habitat: Sagebrush plains to alpine meadows and ridges.
Flowers: May-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Wind
Smooth, strongly tufted perennial, the culms hollow, 2-4 dm. tall.
Sheaths closed about half their length; ligules 1-3 mm. long, acute, jagged, glabrous; blades of the fertile stems 1-3.5 mm. broad, flat; blades of the sterile stems 0.5-1 mm. broad, involute, often 1-2 dm. long; all blades with prow-like tips.
Inflorescence a compact, ovoid panicle 2-6 cm. long, greenish or purplish; spikelets 3- to 5-flowered, 5-8 mm. long; flowers usually pistillate, the anthers vestigial or wanting, but occasionally the plants staminate- or perfect-flowered; glumes subequal, 3-nerved, 3.5-5 mm. long, shorter than the first floret; lemmas keeled, 5-nerved, 4.5-6 mm. long, pubescent; paleas slightly shorter than the lemmas, 2-keeled.
Publication: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 1: 271. 1893.
- ssp. cusickii – Cusick's bluegrass Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho.
-
ssp. epilis – skyline bluegrass
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Saskatchewan and Colorado. - ssp. pallida – Cusick's bluegrass Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Yukon to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
-
ssp. purpurascens – Cusick's bluegrass Occurring in the Cascades Range and Olympic Mountains in Washington; British Columbia to California.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Poa cusickii in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Poa cusickii checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Poa cusickii information.
E-Flora BC: Poa cusickii atlas page.
CalPhotos: Poa cusickii photos.
USDA Plants: Poa cusickii information.
