Species Descriptions - Burke Herbarium Image Collection

Burke Herbarium Image Collection

Vascular Plants, Macrofungi, & Lichenized Fungi of Washington

Vascular Plants » Monocots » Poaceae:

Poaceae

Grass Family

Synonyms:

Gramineae [HC]

101 genera
333 species
106 subspecies and varieties

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Index to genera:

Achnatherum, Aegilops, Agropogon, Agropyron, Agrostis, Aira, Alopecurus, Ammophila, Anthoxanthum, Apera, Aristida, Arrhenatherum, Avena, Beckmannia, Brachypodium, Briza, Bromus, Calamagrostis, Calamovilfa, Cenchrus, Cinna, Coix, Coleanthus, Cortaderia, Corynephorus, Crypsis, Cynodon, Cynosurus, Dactylis, Danthonia, Deschampsia, Dichanthelium, Digitaria, Diplachne, Distichlis, Echinochloa, Eleusine, Elyhordeum, Elyleymus, Elymus, Eragrostis, Eremopyrum, Festuca, Glyceria, Graphephorum, Hesperostipa, Hierochloe, Holcus, Hordeum, Koeleria, Leersia, Leymus, Lolium, Melica, Miscanthus, Molinia, Muhlenbergia, Nassella, Oryzopsis, Panicum, Parapholis, Pascopyrum, Paspalum, Pennisetum, Phalaris, Phleum, Phragmites, Piptatheropsis, Pleuropogon, Poa, Podagrostis, Polypogon, Psathyrostachys, Pseudelymus, Pseudoroegneria, Puccinellia, Redfieldia, Sasa, Schedonorus, Schizachyrium, Sclerochloa, Scleropoa, Scribneria, Secale, Setaria, Sorghum, Spartina, Sphenopholis, Sporobolus, Taeniatherum, Thinopyrum, Torreyochloa, Tripidium, Triplasis, Trisetum, Triticum, Vahlodea, Ventenata, Vulpia, Zea, Zizania

Achnatherum hendersonii – Henderson's rice grass
Distribution: Yakima and Kittitas counties in Washington; south to Jefferson County, Oregon.
Habitat: Dry, rocky, shallow soil, in sagebrush or ponderosa pine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Achnatherum hymenoides – Indian rice grass
Distribution: East of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia south to California, east to Alberta and the Dakotas and Texas.
Habitat: Grasslands, desert plains, and foothills, especially on rocky or sandy soil.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Achnatherum lemmonii – Lemmon's needlegrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Grassy balds, prairies, sagebrush grasslands, and ponderosa pine forest, from the lowlands to middle elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. lemmonii – Lemmon's needlegrass

Achnatherum nelsonii
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. dorei – Nelson's needlegrass

• ssp. nelsonii – Nelson's needlegrass

Achnatherum nevadense – Nevada needlegrass
Origin: Native

Achnatherum occidentale – common western needlegrass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. californicum – California needlegrass

• ssp. pubescens – western needlegrass

Achnatherum richardsonii – Richardson's rice grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Achnatherum thurberianum – Thurber's rice grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Aegilops cylindrica – jointed goat grass
Distribution: A weedy plant from Europe, introduced in much of western United States.
Habitat: Waste ground and roadsides; a troublesome weed in wheat.
Origin: Introduced from southern Europe
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual

×Agropogon lutosus – perennial beardgrass
Origin: Introduced

Agropyron cristatum – crested wheatgrass
Distribution: Introduced for forage purposes in many areas of western United States, becoming widely established.
Habitat: Dry, open areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agropyron fragile – Siberian wheatgrass
Origin: Introduced

Agrostis canina – velvet bentgrass
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Agrostis capillaris – colonial bent
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely introduced throughout North America.
Habitat: Open, disturbed areas often at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis castellana – Highland bent, dryland browntop
Origin: Introduced

Agrostis densiflora – California bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in western Washington along the outer coast; coastal Washington to California.
Habitat: Coastal bluffs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis exarata – spiked bent
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout Washington; Alaska south to California, east to Alberta, Nebraska and Texas.
Habitat: Moist areas, from near sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis gigantea – black bent
Distribution: Occurring throughout Washington; found in nearly all parts of North America.
Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, edge of agricultural fields, mostly at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis idahoensis – Idaho bent
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis mertensii – Merten's bentgrass, northern bentgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis microphylla – small-leaf bent
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Agrostis ×murbeckii
Origin: Introduced

Agrostis oregonensis – Oregon bent
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis pallens – seashore bent
Distribution: Near the coast, Grays Harbor County, Washington south to San Francisco, California.
Habitat: Coastal sand dunes and immediately adjacent woods.
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis scabra – rough bent
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis stolonifera – spreading bent
Distribution: Widespread throughout Washington; Alaska south to California; also in Idaho, Utah and Colorado.
Habitat: Wet, disturbed areas that include streambanks, flooded fields, and ditches at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced?
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Agrostis variabilis – alpine bent
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late July - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Aira caryophyllea – silver hairgrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington and east in the Columbia River Gorge; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Wyoming, also in the southeastern U.S. and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Balds, prairies, meadows, forest openings, roadsides, wastelots, and other open areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced Eurasia and North Africa
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. caryophyllea – silver hairgrass

Aira elegans – delicate hairgrass
Origin: Introduced

Aira praecox – early silver-hair grass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to California; Nova Scotia south to Virginia in eastern North America.
Habitat: Gravelly prairies, sea bluffs and dunes near the coast, also in other disturbed, open areas at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: April-September
Growth Duration: Annual

Alopecurus aequalis – little foxtail, short-awn foxtail
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Shores, riverbanks, vernal pools, sloughs, wet meadows, and seeps, often submersed.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. aequalis

Alopecurus arundinaceus – creeping meadow-foxtail
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Alopecurus carolinianus – tufted meadow-foxtail
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Alopecurus geniculatus – water fescue
Distribution: Distributed on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; Alaska south to California, east to the Atlantic Coast in Canada.
Habitat: Wet places, often in standing water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Alopecurus myosuroides – slender meadow-foxtail
Distribution: Introduced in many parts of North America; occasional in Washington and Oregon.
Habitat: Wet places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Alopecurus pratensis – field meadow-foxtail
Distribution: Alaska to Newfoundland, south to Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Missouri, and New Jersey. Found on both sides of the Cascades in WA.
Habitat: Swampy areas in meadows, in irrigated fields, and along roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Alopecurus saccatus – Pacific meadow-foxtail
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Ammophila arenaria – European beachgrass
Distribution: Introduced along the Pacific coast from southeast Washington the California.
Habitat: Sandy beaches and dunes.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August

• ssp. arenaria – European beach grass

Ammophila breviligulata – American beachgrass
Origin: Introduced

• ssp. breviligulata – American beachgrass

Anthoxanthum aristatum – annual vernalgrass
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to California; eastern half of North America.
Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, forest openings, and other disturbed, open areas at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. aristatum – small sweet vernal grass

Anthoxanthum odoratum – sweet vernalgrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, southern Great Plains, and eastern North America.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, meadows, prairies, balds, lawns, and other disturbed open areas at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Apera interrupta – dense silky-bent
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia south to Oregon, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Dry wasteland and other disturbed areas in shrub-steppe and open coniferous forests.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Apera spica-venti – silky windgrass
Origin: Introduced

Aristida purpurea
Distribution: British Columbia and eastern Washington, east to the Dakotas, south to Oregon and Arizona.
Habitat: Desert plains and grasslands, into the foothills.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

• var. longiseta – red threeawn

Arrhenatherum elatius – tall oatgrass
Distribution: Introduced more commonly west of the Cascades, British Columbia south to California, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Meadows and pastures.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. bulbosum – bulbous oatgrass

• ssp. elatius – bulbous oatgrass

Avena barbata – barbed oat
Distribution: Introduced and common in southwest United States; occasional in Washington and western Oregon.
Habitat: Roadsides and waste land.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Avena fatua – wild oat
Distribution: Common introduction in most of western North America.
Habitat: A weed in grain fields, roadsides and waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - September
Growth Duration: Annual

Avena sativa – oat
Distribution: Commonly cultivated throught the United States and Canada, occasionally escaping but usually not persisting.
Habitat: Roadsides and field margins.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Beckmannia syzigachne – American slough grass
Distribution: Alaska to California, east from the coast to Manitoba and the Great Lakes region
Habitat: Pond margins, marshes and ditches at low elevations
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Brachypodium sylvaticum – false brome
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; British Columbia to California; also in Virginia.
Habitat: Roadsides and other disturbed, open areas at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. sylvaticum – false brome

Briza maxima – big quakinggrass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Briza minor – little quaking grass
Distribution: Well established in Eastern North America; occasional on the West coast.
Habitat: Dry waste areas.
Origin: Introduced from the Mediterranean region
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus arenarius – Australian brome
Origin: Introduced

Bromus briziformis – rattlesnake brome
Distribution: Southern British Columbia south to California, east to Idaho and Montana; occasional in eastern United States.
Habitat: Waste ground, roadsides, and overgrazed areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: Late May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus ciliatus – fringed brome
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus commutatus – meadow brome
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Waste ground, meadows, roadsides.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus diandrus – great brome, ripgut brome, ripgut grass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, southern Great Plains, and in eastern North America.
Habitat: Grassy balds, prairies, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed open areas at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus erectus – upright brome
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus hordeaceus – soft chess
Distribution: Common introduction from Alaska south to Baja California, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Waste ground, roadsides, dry hillsides.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus inermis – smooth brome
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, meadows, parks, and other disturbed open areas; often planted for hay and soil stabilization.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus japonicus – Japanese brome
Distribution: East of the Cascades, southern British Columbia to California, east across Canada and most of eastern United States.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert and grasslands to lower mountain forests; often a weed of roadsides and waste land.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus madritensis – compact brome
Origin: Introduced

Bromus orcuttianus – chinook brome
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus pacificus – Pacific brome
Distribution: West of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska south to Oregon.
Habitat: Meadows and forest openingsat low elevations, often near or along the coast.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus pumpellianus – pumpelly brome
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Stream banks, lake shores, sand dunes, meadows, grassy slopes, and roadsides
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. pumpellianus – arctic brome

Bromus racemosus – bald brome
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus rubens – fox-tail brome
Distribution: Chiefly east of the Cascades in Washington; central Washington south to California, east to Idaho, Utah and Arizona.
Habitat: Common weed on overgrazed land, waste areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus secalinus – rye brome
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Disturbed, open ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus sitchensis – Alaska brome, Sitka brome
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains
Habitat: Dry to moist open areas from lowlands to subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. aleutensis – Aleut brome

• var. carinatus – California brome

• var. marginatus – large mountain brome

• var. polyanthus – smooth brome

• var. sitchensis – Sitka brome

Bromus squarrosus – corn brome
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to Oregon, east in scattered locations to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Open, disturbed areas including fields, meadows, and forest openings.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus sterilis – poverty brome
Distribution: Southern British Columbia south to California, and in the Rocky Mountains and eastern United States.
Habitat: Roadsides and waste places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus suksdorfii – Suksdorf's brome
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Bromus tectorum – cheat grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Baja California, Mexico, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, grasslands, prairies, meadows, balds, roadsides, wastelots, and other distrubed open areas from low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Annual

Bromus vulgaris – Columbian brome
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south along the coast to northern California, east to Alberta, Montana and Wyoming.
Habitat: Shaded to open woods or moist to dry banks, from near sea level to mountain meadows and dry, rocky slopes at 6000' elevation.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis canadensis – bluejoint reedgrass
Distribution: Alaska to Quebec, south through the United States except for the Deep South
Habitat: Wet places, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. canadensis – bluejoint reedgrass

• var. langsdorffii

Calamagrostis howellii – Howell's reedgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - Early July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis nutkaensis – Nootka reedgrass
Habitat: In coastal areas in wetlands, forest openings, salt- and freshwater beaches and dunes, and cliffs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis purpurascens – purple reedgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis rubescens – pinegrass
Distribution: British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Montana and Colorado
Habitat: Dry to moist areas, open sagebrush flats to timbered slopes, moderate to mid-elevations in the mountains
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis stricta – slimstem reedgrass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. inexpansa – narrow-spiked reedgrass

• ssp. stricta – narrow-spiked reedgrass

Calamagrostis tacomensis – Rainier reedgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late July - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamagrostis tweedyi – Cascade reedgrass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Moist meadows and subalpine slopes, usually in forest edge or understory.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Calamovilfa gigantea
Origin: Introduced

Calamovilfa longifolia – prairie sandreed
Origin: Introduced

• var. longifolia – prairie sandgrass sandreed, prairie sandreed

Cenchrus longispinus – longspine sandbur, mat sandbur
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Mexico, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Sandy river banks and other disturbed, seasonally moist areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Annual

Cinna latifolia – slender wood-reed
Distribution: Alaska to Newfoundland, south on both sides of the Cascades, Washington to California, east to Colorado; also Minnesota to Maine, south to Tennessee
Habitat: Moist woods and meadows, sea level to subalpine
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Coix lacryma-jobi – Job's-tears
Origin: Introduced from tropical Asia

Coleanthus subtilis – moss grass
Origin: Native?
Flowers: July - October
Growth Duration: Annual

Cortaderia jubata – purple pampas grass
Distribution: Occurring in lowland western Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Disturbed, open areas at low elevation
Origin: Introduced from northern South America
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Cortaderia selloana – pampas grass
Distribution: Occurring in several counties west of the Cascades crest; Washington to California, in scattered states eastward to Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Disturbed, open soil of wastelots, abandoned fields, and roadsides at low elevations, often near coast.
Origin: Introduced from central South America
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Corynephorus canescens – gray club-awn grass
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

Crypsis alopecuroides – foxtail pricklegrass
Distribution: Occurring in the south-central areas of Washington;
Habitat: Sandy soils around drying lake margins and other seasonally moist, disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced from n. Africa and Eurasia
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Crypsis vaginiflora – modest pricklegrass
Origin: Introduced from the western Mediterranean

Cynodon dactylon – bermuda grass
Distribution: Common in the warmer portion of the United States, California to Florida; occasional in the Pacific Northwet.
Habitat: A weed of lawns, partures and railroad tracks.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Cynosurus cristatus – crested dogtail
Distribution: Introduced in scattered locations west of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon, and in California and Idaho.
Habitat: Waste places, old meadows, roadsides.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Cynosurus echinatus – bristly dog's-tail grass
Distribution: Introduced in southwest British Columba and Oregon's Wilamette Valley, south into California; more common in central and eastern United States.
Habitat: Weed of waste places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Dactylis glomerata – orchard grass
Distribution: Distributed widely throughout Washington; distributed widely throughout North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas such as meadows, fields, roadsides, and forest edges; common forage plant; also planted in logged areas in the mountains.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Danthonia californica – California oatgrass
Distribution: British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to California, east to Montana and New Mexico.
Habitat: Open, grassy meadows to rocky ridges, from coastal prairies to mid-elevations in the mountains, often with ponderosa pine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Danthonia decumbens – common heath-grass, mountain heath-grass
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: July - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Danthonia intermedia – timber oatgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Danthonia spicata – poverty oatgrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to Oregon, east to Newfoundland and eastern United States.
Habitat: Sandy to rocky soil in dry woods and fairly dry meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Danthonia unispicata – few-flower oatgrass, one-spike oatgrass
Distribution: British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to California, east to Alberta and Colorado.
Habitat: Dry to occasionally moist prairies, foothills, and open parks and ridges in mountain forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Deschampsia cespitosa – tufted hairgrass
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and eastern North America.
Habitat: From coastal marshes and moist prairies to alpine ridges, talus slopes, mountain meadows, and moist areas in the mountains in general.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Deschampsia danthonioides – annual hair grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Deschampsia elongata – slender hair grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; Alaska south to California, east to Alberta, Montana and New Mexico.
Habitat: Moist sandy or gravelly banks and slopes, and borders of streams and lakes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Dichanthelium acuminatum – hairy perennial panicgrass
Distribution: Southern British Columbia south along the coast to California; east of the Cascades mainly along water courses or around springs in the mountains, east to Montana and Wyoming.
Habitat: Rocky or sandy river banks or lake margins to open woods, marshy areas or dry prairies, from sea level to high elevation in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. fasciculatum – hairy panicgrass

Dichanthelium oligosanthes – Scribner's perennial panicgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to northern California, east to Idaho, Montana and Utah, also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Dry prairies or rocky areas to sandy stream banks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. scribnerianum – Scribner's panicgrass witchgrass

Digitaria ischaemum – smooth crabgrass
Distribution: Most of southern Canada, and all of the United States except the extreme southeast and southwest.
Habitat: Lawns, roadsides and wastland, usually where moist.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: July - September
Growth Duration: Annual

Digitaria sanguinalis – hairy crabgrass
Distribution: A weed in most of the United States.
Habitat: Lawns, gardens, and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: July - October
Growth Duration: Annual

Diplachne fusca – clustered salt-grassprangletop, loose-flowered sprangletop
Distribution: Occurring in a few scattered locations chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: August-September
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

• ssp. fascicularis – bearded sprangletop

Distichlis spicata – alkaline grass, coastal salt grass
Distribution: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, south to California; also along the east coast of the United States from Canada to Florida and Texas.
Habitat: Coastal beaches and salt marshes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Echinochloa colona – awnless barnyard grass, or jungle-rice
Origin: Introduced from the tropics
Growth Duration: Annual

Echinochloa crus-galli – barnyard grass, or large barnyard grass
Distribution: Found throughout southern Canada and most of the United States.
Habitat: Cultivted fields and wasteland, usually where moist, especially along irrigation ditches.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June - October
Growth Duration: Annual

Echinochloa crus-pavonis – guleaf barnyard-grass
Origin: Introduced

• var. crus-pavonis – gulf barnyard grass

Echinochloa muricata – American barnyard-grass
Origin: Native?
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. microstachya – American barnyard grass, or watergrass

Eleusine indica – goosegrass
Distribution: Uncommon weed in western Oregon; more common in California and eastern United States.
Habitat: Waste ground and roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from Africa
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Eleusine tristachya
Origin: Introduced

×Elyhordeum macounii
Origin: Native

×Elyhordeum stebbinsianum
Origin: Native

×Elyleymus aristatus
Origin: Native

Elymus albicans – Montana wild rye
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus canadensis – Canadian wild rye
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Quebec, North Carolina and Texas
Habitat: Streambanks and thickets on sandy, dry to moist soil, and in disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. canadensis – Canadian wild rye, nodding wild rye

Elymus curvatus – beardless wild rye, awnless wildrye
Origin: Native

Elymus elymoides – bottlebrush, squirreltail
Distribution: British Columbia south to southern California, east to Alberta and Texas.
Habitat: Dry and rocky to moist habitats, from along the coast to inland desert plains and prairies, and in the mountains to above tree line.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. brevifolius – longleaf squirreltail

• ssp. elymoides – bottlebrush squirreltail, California squirreltail

• ssp. hordeoides – bottlebrush squirreltail

Elymus glaucus – blue wild-rye
Distribution: Southern Alaska south to California, east to Ontario and Indiana.
Habitat: Prairies, open woods, and dry to moist hillsides, from the lowlands to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. glaucus – blue wildrye

• ssp. virescens – blue wildrye

Elymus ×hansenii
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus hirsutus – boreal wild rye
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus lanceolatus
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. lanceolatus – thick-spiked wheatgrass

• ssp. psammophilus – sand-dune wheatgrass

• ssp. riparius – stream bank wheatgrass

Elymus multisetus – big squirreltail
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus ×pseudorepens – false quackgrass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus repens – creeping wild rye
Distribution: Native to Eurasia; Alaska to Greenland and south to California, Texas, and North Carolina.
Habitat: Disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus scribneri – Scribner's wild rye
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus sierrae – Sierra wheatgrass
Origin: Native

Elymus trachycaulus – slender wheatgrass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. trachycaulus – bearded wheatgrass

Elymus violaceus – arctic wheatgrass, bearded wheatgrass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Elymus wawawaiensis – wawawai wild rye
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Eragrostis cilianensis – stinkgrass
Distribution: Central Washington south ot California, east to Maine.
Habitat: Disturbed areas and waste land, and along streams and pond margins.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June - October
Growth Duration: Annual

Eragrostis curvula – weeping lovegrass
Distribution: In scattered locations across Washington; occurring from West to East Coast of U.S., typically in the southern half of the country.
Habitat: Distrubed areas where open and forest edge.
Origin: Introduced from southern Africa
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Eragrostis hypnoides – teal love grass
Distribution: In Washington, chiefly west of the Cascades, and along the Columbia and Snake Rivers; widespread in central and eastern United States.
Habitat: Mud flats along streams, ponds and lakes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Annual

Eragrostis lutescens – six-weeks love grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - October
Growth Duration: Annual

Eragrostis mexicana – Mexican lovegrass
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. virescens – Mexican lovegrass, orcutt's lovegrass

Eragrostis minor – little lovegrass
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Growth Duration: Annual

Eragrostis pectinacea – tufted lovegrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

• var. pectinacea – purple eragrostis, tufted eragrostis

Eragrostis pilosa – India lovegrass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: October
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. pilosa – India lovegrass

Eremopyrum triticeum – annual false wheat grass
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to Arizona, east to the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.
Habitat: Dry wasteland, disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Festuca brachyphylla – alpine fescue
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. brachyphylla – alpine fescue

• ssp. coloradensis

• ssp. californica

Festuca campestris – prairie fescue
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca filiformis – fine-leaf sheep fescue
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca idahoensis – bluebunch fescue, Idaho fescue
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Grasslands and sagebrush desert to dry mountain slopes, occasionally to the subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca occidentalis – western fescue
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca ovina – sheep fescue
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca roemeri – Roemer's fescue
Distribution: Chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to California.
Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, balds and forest openings mostly at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. roemeri

Festuca rubra – red fescue
Origin: Both native and introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. arenaria

• ssp. juncea – rock fescue

• ssp. mediana – dune red fescue

• ssp. rubra – red fescue

Festuca saximontana – Rocky Mountain fescue
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America, also in Far East Russia.
Habitat: Montane and subalpine meadows and open forest.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. purpusiana – Rocky Mountain fescue

• var. saximontana

Festuca subulata – bearded fescue
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - Early June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca subuliflora – crinkle-awn fescue
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Shady sites in dry to moist, lowland to montane forest.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca trachyphylla – hard fescue
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca valesiaca – Valais fescue
Origin: Introduced

Festuca viridula – green-leaf fescue
Distribution: British Colubia south to California, east to Alberta and Montana.
Habitat: Subalpine slopes, rock slides, and meadows to well above timberline.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Festuca washingtonica – Washington fescue
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Southern British Columbia Washington.
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Glyceria borealis – small floating manna grass
Distribution: Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to California and New Mexico.
Habitat: Swamps, wet meadows, and stream margins, often growing in 1-3 feet of water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - October
Growth Duration: Perennial

Glyceria canadensis – Canada mannagrass, rattlesnake mannagrass
Origin: Introduced

• var. canadensis – rattlesnake manna grass

Glyceria declinata – low glyceria
Origin: Introduced

Glyceria elata – tall mannagrass
Distribution: British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to California, east to Montana and New Mexico.
Habitat: Lake margins, stream banks, moist mountain meadows and other wet areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Glyceria fluitans – water mannagrass
Origin: Introduced

Glyceria grandis – American mannagrass
Distribution: Alaska south to Oregon, chiefly east of the Cascades; east to northeast United States and south to Virginia and New Mexico.
Habitat: Sloughs, damp meadows and stream borders.
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - Early August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. grandis – reed mannagrass

Glyceria leptostachya – slender-spike manna grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Glyceria maxima – tall mannagrass
Origin: Introduced

Glyceria ×occidentalis – northwestern manna grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Glyceria striata – fowl manna grass
Distribution: Alaska south to northern California, east to Newfoundland and Florida.
Habitat: Wet places, bogs, and mountain meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Graphephorum wolfii – beardless false oat
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Hesperostipa comata – needle-and-thread
Distribution: British Columbia south on the east side of the Cascades to California, east to Ontario and Texas.
Habitat: Plains and prairies to forested areas in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. comata – needle and thread

• ssp. intermedia – Tweedy's needlegrass

Hierochloe occidentalis – California sweet grass, California sweetgrass
Origin: Native

Hierochloe odorata – hairy sweetgrass, vanillagrass
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations across Washington; Alaska south to Washington, east across the northern half of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Wet meadows and marshes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Holcus lanatus – common velvet grass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and east in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Alaska to California, east across much of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Balds, prairies, roadsides, meadows, lawns, wastelots, and other disturbed open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Holcus mollis – creeping softgrass, creeping velvet-grass
Origin: Introduced

• ssp. mollis – creeping velvet grass

Hordeum brachyantherum – meadow barley
Distribution: Alaska south to California, east to Montana and Colorado.
Habitat: Ocean beaches to mountain meadows,usually where moist, but also from dry sagebrush desert to rocky ridges.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. brachyantherum – meadow barley

Hordeum depressum – dwarf barley
Distribution: Introduced from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, south on both sides of the Cascades to southern California, east to western Idaho.
Habitat: A weed of waste areas, especially where moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Hordeum jubatum – foxtail barley
Distribution: Alaska south on both sides of the Cascades to California, east across Canada to the Atlantic Coast, south to Mexico.
Habitat: Common weed of dry to moist soil, from sagebrush desert to grasslands and mountain forests, often abundent in disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. jubatum – foxtail barley

Hordeum marinum – Mediterranean barley
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. gussoneanum – Mediterranean barley

Hordeum murinum – mouse barley, smooth barley, wall barley
Distribution: Uncommon weed in the United States, occasional in southern British Columbia and western Washington.
Habitat: Disturbed soil and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. glaucum – mouse barley

• ssp. leporinum – mouse barley

• ssp. murinum – mouse barley

Hordeum pusillum – little barley
Distribution: Eastern Washington south to southern California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Grasslands to desert areas, often on saline soils and wasteland.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Hordeum vulgare – barley
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Old fields, wasteland, roadsides, and other disturbed areas where escaped from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. vulgare – common barley

Koeleria macrantha – Koeler's prairie grass, prairie Junegrass
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to northern Mexico, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast except in the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Sagebrush deserts, prairies, and open forests to subalpine ridges, mostly on sandy to rocky soil.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leersia oryzoides – rice cut grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia east to the Atlantic Coast, south throughout the U.S.
Habitat: Wet places, often in fairly deep water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leymus cinereus – Great Basin lyme grass
Distribution: East of the Cascades in Washington; central and western North America.
Habitat: Sagebrush-steppe, arid grasslands, forest edges, and other dry, open areas in the intermountain west.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leymus condensatus – giant wildrye
Origin: Native

Leymus flavescens – sand lyme grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leymus mollis – American dunegrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington along the immediate marine coastline; Alaska to California, east across Canada to the Great Lakes region and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Coastal sand dunes, marshes, and headlands, where tolerant of salt water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. mollis – yellow ryegrass

Leymus racemosus – mammoth lyme grass, mammoth wildrye
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; central Washington to north-central Oregon, east to Wyoming.
Habitat: Sandy areas in sagebrush flats and plains.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leymus triticoides – beardless lyme grass, beardless wildrye
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and Texas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Leymus ×vancouverensis – Vancouver wildrye
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Lolium multiflorum – annual ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, perennial ryegrass
Distribution: Introduced and well established in much of temperate North America.
Habitat: Roadsides and waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial

Lolium perenne – English ryegrass, perennial ryegrass
Distribution: Commonly cultivated as a forage plant; escaped and well established in the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Old fields, roadsides, and waste places.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Lolium persicum – Persian ryegrass

Lolium temulentum – darnel, tare
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. temulentum – darnel

Melica aristata – bearded melic grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica bulbosa – onion grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica ciliata – silky melic
Origin: Introduced

• ssp. taurica

Melica fugax – small melic grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - Early July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica harfordii – Harford's melic grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica smithii – Smith's melic grass
Distribution: Slouthern British Columbia south to Oregon, east to Alberta and Wyoming.
Habitat: Moist woods.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica spectabilis – showy melic grass
Distribution: Southern British Columbia south to northern California chiefly east of the Caascade crest, east to Montana and Colorado.
Habitat: Usually in moist, loamy soil in meadows and open parks in mountain forests, but also dry to wet meadowlands and open forests to subalpine ridges.
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Melica subulata – Alaska oniongrass
Distribution: Southern Alaska south to California, east to Montana and Wyoming.
Habitat: Open slopes to thick, dry or moist woods, from near sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Miscanthus sinensis – Chinese silvergrass
Origin: Introduced

Molinia caerulea – purple moor grass
Distribution: Known from a single locality in King County where it is persistent; occurring in scattered locations throughout North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas at low elevation near the coast.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Muhlenbergia andina – foxtail muhly
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Muhlenbergia asperifolia – or alkali muhly, scratchgrass
Distribution: British Columbia south, east of the Cascades, to California, east to Montana and Texas.
Habitat: Dry to moist alkaline places.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Muhlenbergia filiformis – pullup muhly
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and Kansas.
Habitat: Moist or wet meadows, shores, seeps, hot springs, and stream banks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual

Muhlenbergia glomerata – spiked muhly
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Muhlenbergia mexicana – wirestem muhly
Origin: Native

Muhlenbergia minutissima – annual muhly, least muhly
Origin: Native
Flowers: July
Growth Duration: Annual

Muhlenbergia richardsonis – matted muhly
Distribution: British Columbia south, east of the Cascade crests, to Baja California, east to New Brunswick and New Mexico.
Habitat: Moist to dry lowlands, meadows, mountain prairies and rocky slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Oryzopsis asperifolia – rough-leaved rice-grass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washington; Yukon Territory to northeastern Washington, east across the northern U.S. and Canada to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Open coniferous woods.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Panicum capillare – witchgrass
Distribution: Introduced and weedy in much of the United States and southern Canada.
Habitat: Moist and irrigated areas, along streams and around ponds.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. capillare – or common panicgrass, witchgrass

Panicum dichotomiflorum – fall panicum
Distribution: Native in most of central and eastern United States; occasionally introduced in Washington.
Habitat: Waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - September
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

• ssp. dichotomiflorum – fall panicum, western witchgrass

Panicum giblinianum
Origin: Native

Panicum miliaceum – millet
Distribution: Introduced and cultivated in many parts of the United States; occasionally escaping and persisting in the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Abandoned fields, roadsides, waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: July - September
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. miliaceum – broomcorn, hog millet, panic millet, proso millet

• ssp. ruderale – broomcorn, hog millet, panic millet

Panicum virgata
Origin: Introduced from central and eastern North America
Growth Duration: Perennial

Panicum virgatum
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; occurring in scattered locations near Portland, OR and Boise, ID, otherwise east of the Rocky Mountains in central and eastern North America where native.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, and other disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Parapholis incurva – sicklegrass
Origin: Introduced

Pascopyrum smithii – western-wheat grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Paspalum distichum – knotgrass, Thompsongrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly along the lower Columbia River corridor in Washington; occurring in most of western North America and the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Along ditches and streams where the soil is moist much of the season.
Origin: Native
Flowers: August-October
Growth Duration: Perennial

Pennisetum glaucum – pearl millet
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

Pennisetum setaceum – tender fountaingrass
Origin: Introduced from the eastern Mediterranean

Phalaris arundinacea – reed canary grass
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America, except for extreme southern U.S., to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Stream banks, meadows, fields, roadsides, irrigation ditches, and other disturbed open places from low elevations to nearly the subalpine.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Phalaris canariensis – common canary grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Phalaris paradoxa – Mediterranean canary grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Phleum alpinum – mountain Timothy
Distribution: Alaska east to Newfoundland, south in the subalpine regions of the mountains in most of western United States.
Habitat: Streambanks and meadows at higher elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Phleum pratense – Timothy
Distribution: Both sides of the Cascades in Washington; throughout North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, especially moist, open meadows, from coast to midmontane.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. pratense – common Timothy

Phragmites australis – common reed
Distribution: In scattered locations throughout many areas of Washington; widely distributed throughout North America; circumboreal.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, including roadsides, often where wet or seasonally moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. americanus – common reed

• ssp. australis – common reed

Piptatheropsis exigua – little mountain-ricegrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia, south east of the Cascade crest to Oregon, east to Montana and Colorado.
Habitat: Sandy to rocky soil, mountain meadows to subalpine and alpine ridges and slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Pleuropogon refractus – nodding false semaphore grass
Distribution: Southern British Columbia south in both the Southern British Columbia south in both the Olympics and Cascades of Washington, and the Cascades and coastal mountain of Oregon, to Mendocino County, California.
Habitat: Bogs, stream banks, swampy meadows,and moist, shaded woods, from near sea level toabout 5000 feet elevation in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa alpina – alpine bluegrass
Origin: Native

• ssp. alpina – alpine blue grass

Poa annua – annual blue grass
Distribution: Common weed throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Lawns, gardens, roadsides, and waste ground to open woods.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March - August
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial

Poa arctica – Arctic bluegrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to Rocky Mountains; circumpolar.
Habitat: Subalpine and alpine areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. arctica

Poa bolanderi – Bolander's blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Annual

Poa bulbosa – bulbous bluegrass
Distribution: Both sides of the Cascades in Washington; throughout most of western North America, more scattered in central and eastern North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas from the coast to midmontane.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. vivipara – bulbous blue grass

Poa compressa – flat-stem blue grass
Distribution: Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to most of the United States; common in the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Waste ground, roadsides, and gardens to open woods and meadows, usually where moist.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa confinis – coastline blue grass
Distribution: VAncouver Island, British Columbia, south along the coast to San Francisco, California.
Habitat: Coastal sand dunes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa curtifolia – little mountain blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa cusickii – Cusick's bluegrass
Distribution: British Columbia south in the Olympics and Cascades to California, east to Saskatchewan and Colorado.
Habitat: Sagebrush plains to alpine meadows and ridges.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. cusickii – Cusick's bluegrass

• ssp. epilis – skyline bluegrass

• ssp. pallida – Cusick's bluegrass

• ssp. purpurascens – Cusick's bluegrass

Poa fendleriana – muttongrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - August

• ssp. longiligula – muttongrass

Poa glauca
Origin: Native

• ssp. rupicola – timberline bluegrass

Poa howellii – Howell's bluegrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington and in the Columbia River Gorge; southern British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Lowland to montane rocky banks, forested slopes, and disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual

Poa infirma – weak bluegrass
Origin: Introduced

Poa interior – interior bluegrass, woods blue grass
Origin: Native

Poa laxiflora – loose-flower blue grass
Distribution: Southern Alaska south to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington and Multnomah, Clackamus and Benton Counties, Oregon.
Habitat: Moist woods to rocky, open slopes, from near sea level to lower elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa leibergii – Leiberg's blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late March - May
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa leptocoma – marsh blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa lettermanii – Letterman's blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa macrantha – sand-dune blue grass
Distribution: Southern Vancouver Island and the islands of Puget Sound, south along the coast to Mendocino County, California.
Habitat: Chiefly on sand dunes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa marcida – withered blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa ×multnomae
Origin: Native

Poa nemoralis – woodland bluegrass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa nervosa – Hooker's blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa palustris – fowl blue grass
Distribution: Introduced and widely distributed through Alaska and Canada, south to northern California and Virginia.
Habitat: Sea level to open meadows and forested areas in the mountains, always where moist.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa paucispicula – Alaska blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: Late June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Distribution: Throughout Washington; common throughout temperate world.
Habitat: Moist, distrurbed areas at from the coast to middle elevations.
Origin: Both native and introduced
Flowers: April - October
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. angustifolia

• ssp. irrigata

• ssp. pratensis – Kentucky blue grass

Poa secunda
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout Washington; Alaska south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Grasslands and forest openings from sea-level to the alpine
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. juncifolia – alkali bluegrass, big bluegrass, Nevada bluegrass

• ssp. secunda – curly blue grass

Poa stenantha – narrow-flowered bluegrass
Origin: Native

• var. stenantha – narrow-flower blue grass

Poa suksdorfii – western blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Poa trivialis – rough-stalk blue grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. trivialis

Poa unilateralis – sea-bluff bluegrass
Origin: Native

• ssp. pachypholis – San Francisco blue grass

Poa wheeleri – Wheeler's blue grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Podagrostis aequivalvis – arctic bent
Origin: Native

Podagrostis humilis – alpine bent, mountain bent
Origin: Native

Podagrostis thurberiana – Thurber's bent
Origin: Native

Polypogon australis – Chilean rabbit's-foot grass
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Polypogon fugax – Asia Minor bluegrass
Origin: Introduced

Polypogon interruptus – ditch rabbit's-foot grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Polypogon maritimus – Mediterranean rabbitsfoot grass
Distribution: Known from Klickitat County in WA; Washington to California, east to Nevada; also in southeastern North America.
Habitat: Shoreline of ponds, lakes and rivers.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual

Polypogon monspeliensis – annual rabbit's-foot grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Wet to dry waste areas, including vernal pools where the water is brackish.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Annual

Polypogon viridis – beardless rabbit's-foot grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Psathyrostachys juncea – Russian-wild rye
Origin: Introduced

×Pseudelymus saxicola
Origin: Native

Pseudoroegneria spicata – ?bluebunch wheatgrass
Distribution: British Columbia south, chiefly east of the Cascade crests, but also in the coastal mountains, to California, east to the Dakotas and New Mexico.
Habitat: From the plains to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Puccinellia distans – weeping alkaligrass, European alkali grass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades in Washington; North-central British Columbia south, chiefly east of the Cascades, to California, east through most of Canada and to the east base of the Rockies.
Habitat: Moist soil, especially where alkaline.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Puccinellia lemmonii – Lemmon's alkali grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Puccinellia maritima – coast alkaligrass
Origin: Introduced

Puccinellia nutkaensis – Nootka alkali grass, shining alkali grass
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Puccinellia nuttalliana – Nuttall's alkali grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Minnesota, Kansas, eastern and eastern North America.
Habitat: Coastal salt marshes and inland alkali shores and stream banks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Puccinellia pumila – dwarf alkali grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Redfieldia flexuosa – blowout grass
Origin: Introduced from central United States

Sasa palmata – broadleaf bamboo
Distribution: Occurring in the Puget Sound lowlands in Washington; also known from Tennessee.
Habitat: Disturbed lowland areas where escaping from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Schedonorus arundinaceus – tall fescue, tall rye grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Meadowlands, fallow fields an ditch banks.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Schedonorus pratensis – meadow fescue, meadow rye grass
Distribution: Occurring in scattered localities on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, roadsides, and other disturbed areas, often where moist
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Schizachyrium scoparium – broom bluestem, little bluestem
Distribution: Alberta east to Quebec, south through most of the United States east of the rockies; sparingly introduced in the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Prairies and foothills.
Origin: Native?
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. scoparium – broom beardgras, broom bluestem, little bluestem

Sclerochloa dura – common hard grass
Distribution: Sparingly introduced in much of western United States; established in eastern Washington and Oregon.
Habitat: Weed of waste areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June
Growth Duration: Annual

Scleropoa rigida – fern grass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual

Scribneria bolanderi – Scribner's grass
Origin: Native
Flowers: April - May
Growth Duration: Annual

Secale cereale – cultivated rye
Distribution: Widely cultivated, especially in poor, dry soil, often persistent for more than one season.
Habitat: Roadsides and waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial

Secale strictum
Origin: Introduced

Setaria faberi – Chinese foxtail
Origin: Introduced from China
Growth Duration: Annual

Setaria italica – Italian bristlegrass, foxtail millet
Origin: Introduced from China
Growth Duration: Annual

Setaria pumila
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. pallide-fusca – yellow foxtail, pigeon grass

• ssp. pumila – yellow foxtail

Setaria verticillata – hooked bristlegrass, rough bristlegrass
Distribution: Sparingly introduced in the Pacific Northwest; more common in other parts of the United States.
Habitat: Weed of gardens, irrigated areas and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: August - September
Growth Duration: Annual

Setaria viridis
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout much of Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Disturbed soil and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-October
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. viridis – green bristlegrass

Sorghum bicolor – sorghum
Origin: Introduced from Africa
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

Sorghum halepense – Johnson grass
Distribution: Introduced and established in much of the United States; rarely persistent in the Pacific Northwest.
Habitat: Waste ground, especially where moist.
Origin: Introduced from Mediterranean
Flowers: July - October
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina alterniflora – saltwater cordgrass, smooth cordgrass
Distribution: Introduced in Pacific County, Washington; common along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States.
Habitat: Along the coast in brackish water.
Origin: Introduced from the Atlantic coast of North America
Flowers: August - September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina anglica – English cordgrass
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina densiflora – Chilean cordgrass
Origin: Introduced from Chile
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina gracilis – alkali cordgrass
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina patens – saltmeadow cordgrass
Origin: Introduced from the Atlantic Coast of North America
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina pectinata – freshwater cordgrass, prairie cordgrass
Distribution: Eastern Washington and Oregon, east to Newfoundland and North Carolina.
Habitat: Ditches, ponds, and fresh-water marshes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Spartina ×townsendii – Townsend's cordgrass
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Growth Duration: Perennial

Sphenopholis intermedia – slender wedgescale
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

Sphenopholis obtusata – prairie wedgescale
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial

Sporobolus airoides – alkali sacaton
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California and Mexico, east to the Great Plains; introduced in eastern North America.
Habitat: Mesic or damp slopes and flats, often where alkaline, shores, grasslands, vernal pools, and hot springs at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Sporobolus compositus – composite dropseed, tall dropseed
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. compositus – rough dropseed

Sporobolus cryptandrus – sand dropseed
Distribution: British Columbia south, east of the Cascades, to southern California, east to Ontario, Maine, and most of the United States except the extreme southeast.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, especilly where sandy, to the foothills and grassland.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Sporobolus neglectus – small dropseed
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - September
Growth Duration: Annual

Sporobolus vaginiflorus – poverty dropseed
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Washington and California, east to Idaho and the southwestern U.S.; native from Great Plains east to Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, and other disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. vaginiflorus – poverty dropseed

Taeniatherum caput-medusae – medusa-head
Distribution: Sparingly introduced in east-central Washington; more common on both sides of the Cascades in Oregon, east into southeast Idaho and south into California.
Habitat: Weed of waste ground.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Thinopyrum intermedium – intermediate wheatgrass
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• ssp. barbulatum – pubescent wheatgrass

• ssp. intermedium – intermediate wheatgrass

Thinopyrum ponticum – Eurasian quack grass
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations in the southern portion of Washington; British Columbia south to California, east to the central portion of North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas including roadsides, wastelots, and agricultural fields.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial

Torreyochloa pallida – pale false manna grass
Distribution: Alaska south along the coast to California, east to Alberta and New Mexico.
Habitat: Wet places, from near sea level to 11,000 feet elevation in mountain meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

• var. pauciflora – weak alkaligrass

Tripidium ravennae – ravennagrass
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Triplasis purpurea – purple sandgrass
Origin: Introduced

• var. purpurea – purple sandgrass

Trisetum canescens – tall false oat
Origin: Native
Flowers: May - July
Growth Duration: Perennial

Trisetum cernuum – nodding Trisetum
Origin: Native

Trisetum flavescens – yellow false oat
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Perennial

Trisetum spicatum – narrow false oat, spike trisetum
Distribution: Occurring in the mountainous areas on both sides of the Cascades crest throughout Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, further east to the Great Lakes region and eastern North America.
Habitat: Montane forests to alpine slopes in rocky, dry or moist areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial

Triticum aestivum – bread wheat
Distribution: Introduced world-wide, but fails to persist more that a few seasons on its own.
Habitat: Cultivated in fields.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: April - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Vahlodea atropurpurea – arctic-hair grass
Distribution: Alaska south to the high mountains of California, east to Newfoundland and New Hamshire.
Habitat: Mountain meadows, streambanks, and lake margins to alpine ridges.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July - August
Growth Duration: Perennial

Ventenata dubia – Ventenata
Distribution: Chiefly in the eastern portion of Washington; British Columbia south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Roadsides, pastures, crop land, and other disturbed sites.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual

Vulpia bromoides – brome fescue
Distribution: Introduced from southern British Columbia to southern California and Arizona, occasional farther east.
Habitat: From ocean beaches and salt marshes to sagebrush deserts.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: April - June
Growth Duration: Annual

Vulpia microstachys – small fescue
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Annual

Vulpia myuros – rattail fescue, rattail six-weeks grass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout most of North America except for the Great Plains and eastern Canada.
Habitat: Balds, open slopes, grasslands, roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed open areas
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual

Vulpia octoflora – six–weeks fescue
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. hirtella – six-weeks fescue

• var. octoflora – six-weeks fescue

Zea mays – corn
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

• ssp. mays – corn, Indian corn, maize

Zizania palustris – northern wild rice
Origin: Introduced
Growth Duration: Annual

• var. palustris – northern wild rice