Imperata brevifolia is a species of grass known by the common name California satintail. It is native to the southwestern United States from California to Texas and northern Mexico, where it grows in arid regions where water is available. This is a perennial grass growing from a hard rhizome to heights near 1.5 meters. The flat leaves are up to 50 centimeters long and 1.5 wide. The flower cluster is a narrow, cylindrical white plume up 10 to 30 centimeters long. It is filled thickly with silky white hairs and dotted with dark speckles which are the orange-brown anthers and purplish-brown stigmas of the spikelets.