Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus
California brome, California Brome
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus (California brome) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by cleistogamous florets and uniformly hairy lemmas diagnostic.
California brome is a native perennial grass found in coastal prairies, openings in chaparral, plains, and open oak and pine woodland at elevations below 3,500 meters. Flowering from April to August, this grass produces delicate, drooping spikelets 20 to 40 millimeters long with pale green to tan coloration. Growing 50 to 100 centimeters tall with erect to ascending stems, it forms dense clusters with spreading lower branches. Its leaves feature narrow blades 3 to 12 millimeters wide and distinctive ligules 2 to 3 millimeters long. The plant produces lemmas with soft, uniform hairiness and slender awns 8 to 15 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 28 sympatric species; cleistogamous florets and uniformly hairy lemmas diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal prairies, openings in chaparral, plains, open oak and pine woodland
Elevation: < 3500 m
California counties: Humboldt, Santa Barbara, Riverside, El Dorado, Kern, San Bernardino, Alameda, Alpine, Butte, Del Norte, Fresno, Inyo, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Placer, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yuba, Contra Costa, Madera, San Benito, Sierra, Lassen, Tehama, Nevada, Amador, Calaveras, Shasta, Plumas, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Glenn, Kings, Merced, Sacramento, Modoc, Yolo, Colusa
Outside California: to British Columbia, Mexico, Central America
Bloom period
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus blooms Apr-Aug.
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 sitchensis var. carinatus native to California?
Yes. Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus bloom?
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus grow?
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus occurs in Humboldt, Santa Barbara, Riverside, El Dorado, Kern, San Bernardino, Alameda, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of < 3500 m.
What plant family does Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus belong to?
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus is in the Poaceae family, genus Bromus.
What habitat does Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus grow in?
Bromus sitchensis var. carinatus grows in Coastal prairies, openings in chaparral, plains, open oak and pine woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.