Bromus hallii
Hall's brome
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Bromus hallii (Hall's brome) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by few stem nodes, montane habitat, and large anthers diagnostic.
Hall's brome is a California native perennial grass found in southern Sierra Nevada, southern Coast Ranges, and Transverse Ranges in montane to subalpine forest at elevations of 1,580 to 2,680 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces open panicles with erect or spreading branches bearing spikelets 25 to 35 millimeters long. Growing with tall stems 90 to 150 centimeters high, it develops robust clumps with hairy leaf sheaths and stems. Its leaves are distinctively hairy, with blades 7.5 to 16.5 centimeters long and 3 to 12 millimeters wide, featuring a small ligule 1 to 2 millimeters long. The spikelets have scabrous glumes and lemmas with slender awns 3.5 to 7 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 31 sympatric species; few stem nodes, montane habitat, and large anthers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Montane to subalpine forest
Elevation: 1580-2680 m
Bloom period
Bromus hallii blooms Jun-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Nassella: Bromus has closed leaf sheaths and large spikelets; Nassella has open sheaths and needle-like awns.; vs Hordeum: Bromus has separate large spikelets; Hordeum has three spikelets grouped at each node.; vs Avena: Bromus lemmas have two teeth at tip; Avena lemmas have a twisted awn from the back.; vs Lolium: Bromus spikelets are stalked in clusters; Lolium spikelets sit edgewise against the stem.; vs Festuca: Bromus leaf sheaths are closed; Festuca sheaths split open halfway down.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bromus hallii native to California?
Yes. Bromus hallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Bromus hallii bloom?
Bromus hallii blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Bromus hallii belong to?
Bromus hallii is in the Poaceae family, genus Bromus.
What habitat does Bromus hallii grow in?
Bromus hallii grows in Montane to subalpine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.