Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Danthonia intermedia is a species of grass known by the common names timber oatgrass and intermediate oatgrass. This clumping erect perennial grass is native to North America, where it is widespread across most of Canada and along the western United States. It is a plant of the plains as well as forested, mountainous, alpine environments. The grass reaches about half a meter in height at maximum. Its leaves are short and mostly basal. Each flower cluster is a narrow cluster of up to about ten spikelets, each spikelet holding 3 to 6 florets. The flowers are cleistogamous, meaning they remain closed and pollinate themselves. This grass also sometimes undergoes apomixis, reproduction without fertilization. This independence of the need for pollination between individuals is one reason why this grass is so widespread and able to tolerate a variety of climates. This is a desirable grass for grazing land because it begins growing earlier in the spring than most other grasses, and it tolerates heavy grazing better than some other grasses because of its basal meristem, that is, new growth occurs low on the grass instead of on the tip where it can be chewed off. This grass is an indicator of ecological climax in many ecosystems.

Plant type

Grass

Size

2 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Soil drainage

Standing

Soil description

Prefers sandy soils.

Site type

Meadows, bogs, Moist banks

Plant communities

Alpine Fell-Fields, Subalpine Forest, Wetland-Riparian

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

Columbian Skipper

Hesperia columbia

Lindsey's Skipper

Hesperia lindseyi