Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus
Mountain brome, Mountain Brome
Photo: parent species Bromus sitchensis · (c) crothfels, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus (Mountain brome) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by lemma margin hairs vs. glabrous/sparsely hairy back diagnostic.
Mountain brome is a California native perennial grass found in open slopes, meadows, and forests across California at elevations below 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this grass produces delicate, drooping spikelets 25 to 40 millimeters long with hairy green glumes. Growing 45 to 120 centimeters tall with erect to spreading stems, it forms dense tufted clumps in meadow and forest environments. Its leaves are generally hairy, with blades 6 to 12 millimeters wide that are sometimes inrolled, and feature a distinctive ligule 2 to 3.5 millimeters long. The grass produces lemmas with margins and awns 4 to 7 millimeters long, giving it a soft, textured appearance in grassland habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; lemma margin hairs vs. glabrous/sparsely hairy back diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open slopes, meadows, forests
Elevation: < 3500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Wyoming, western Texas, Mexico
Bloom period
Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus blooms May-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 sitchensis var. marginatus native to California?
Yes. Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus bloom?
Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus belong to?
Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus is in the Poaceae family, genus Bromus.
What habitat does Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus grow in?
Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus grows in Open slopes, meadows, forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.