Taxon Report
Catabrosa aquatica (L.) P. Beauv.water whorlgrass |
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Taxon Summary
Catabrosa aquatica, commonly known as water whorlgrass, is a perennial stoloniferous herb in the Poaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Meadows and seeps, growing at elevations from to meters. Catabrosa aquatica is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Catabrosa aquatica (L.) P. Beauv. |
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Common Name: |
water whorlgrass |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Element Code: | PMPOA19010 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | perennial stoloniferous herb |
| Blooming Period: Jul-Sep | Jul-Sep |
| Elevation: | - (-) |
| General Habitats: | Meadows and seeps |
| Microhabitat: | Streambanks |
| Microhabitat Details: | Sometimes stoloniferous or rhizomatous. |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 2B.1 |
| Global Rank: | G5 |
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State Rank: |
S1 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 1 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 1 |
| Fair (C) | 0 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 0 |
| California Endemic: False | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Siskiyou (SIS) | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Panther Rock (4112272) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 3 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 1 | 100 % | |
| Foot traffic/trampling | 1 | 100% |
| Grazing | 1 | 100% |
| ORV activity | 1 | 100% |
Notes
| Discovered in CA by Marla Knight in 2007. Similar to Torreyochloa pallida var. pauciflora; differs in having leaf sheaths closed at least part of the way, vs. leaf sheaths open (with overlapping margins) to the base in T. pallida. See Species Plantarum 1: 64 (1753) for original description, and Essai d'une Nouvelle Agrostographie 97 (1812) for revised nomenclature. |
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Threats: |
| Possibly threatened by grazing, trampling, vehicles, and recreational activities. |
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Taxonomy: |
Selected References
| Proposed Addition to CRPR 2B.1, G5 / S1 (2018) |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 7 December 2025].