Bromus madritensis
Foxtail chess, madrid brome
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Bromus madritensis (Foxtail chess) is a non-native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by NONE - geographically isolated from all other Bromus species.
Foxtail chess is a naturalized annual grass found in disturbed areas and roadsides throughout California at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces pale green to tan spikelets 27 to 50 millimeters long with slender awns. Growing 10 to 75 centimeters tall with ascending to spreading branches, it forms dense, somewhat obovoid clusters of grass stems. Its leaves are glabrous or slightly hairy, with narrow blades 1 to 6 millimeters wide and ligules 1.5 to 4 millimeters long. The spikelets have distinctive lemmas with straight awns 12 to 30 millimeters long, giving the plant its characteristic "foxtail" appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: NONE - geographically isolated from all other Bromus species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: San Diego, Riverside, Butte, Kern, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Orange, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, Sonoma, El Dorado, Yuba, Santa Clara, Yolo, Sutter, Solano, Mendocino, Mariposa, Calaveras, Alameda, Fresno, Nevada, Tuolumne, Placer, Santa Cruz, San Benito, Tehama, Lake, Sacramento, Napa, Shasta, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Amador, Madera, Colusa, Merced
Outside California: southern Oregon, Arizona, Baja California, native to Europe
Bloom period
Bromus madritensis blooms Apr-Jun.
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 madritensis native to California?
No. Bromus madritensis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Bromus madritensis bloom?
Bromus madritensis blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Bromus madritensis grow?
Bromus madritensis occurs in San Diego, Riverside, Butte, Kern, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Orange and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Bromus madritensis belong to?
Bromus madritensis is in the Poaceae family, genus Bromus.
What habitat does Bromus madritensis grow in?
Bromus madritensis grows in Disturbed areas, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.