Parnassia californica is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae known by the common name California grass of Parnassus.

It is native to the mountains of Oregon, California, and Nevada, where it grows in moist areas such as meadows and streambanks.

It is a perennial herb producing an erect flowering stem from a patch of basal leaves.

The inflorescence may be nearly half a meter tall and consists of a mostly naked peduncle with one bract midway up.

The single flower has five small sepals behind five veined white petals each 1 to 2 centimeters long.