Elymus condensatus
Giant wild-rye
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Elymus condensatus (Giant wild-rye) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by wide stems/leaves, branched inflorescence, and lack of auricles.
Giant wild-rye is a California native perennial found in the Central Western, Southwestern, and Mojave Desert bioregions on dry slopes and open woodland at elevations up to 1,830 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces pale green to straw-colored flower clusters in dense panicles 17 to 44 centimeters long. Growing in tufted clumps with robust stems 1.1 to 3.5 meters tall and 6 to 10 millimeters wide at the base, it forms impressive grassland bunches. Its broad leaves are distinctively wide, measuring 15 to 35 millimeters across, with minimal to no auricles or ligules. The plant produces spikelets with 3 to 7 florets, each featuring awl-like glumes and lemmas that can be smooth or slightly hairy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; key features are wide stems/leaves, branched inflorescence, and lack of auricles
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, open woodland
Elevation: < 1830 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Lassen, Mono, Humboldt, Monterey, Mendocino, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Siskiyou, San Benito, Shasta, San Francisco, Sonoma
Outside California: Mexico
Bloom period
Elymus condensatus blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Hordeum: Elymus has rounded glume backs; Hordeum has all glumes narrow and bristle-like.; vs Leymus: Elymus has 2-8 spikelets per node; Leymus has just 1-2 spikelets per node.; vs Taeniatherum: Elymus is perennial with robust growth; Taeniatherum is a weedy annual with very long awns.; vs Lolium: Elymus shows multiple spikelets per node; Lolium has single spikelets edgewise to the stem.; vs Thinopyrum: Elymus has prominent auricles; Thinopyrum typically lacks auricles or has very small ones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Elymus condensatus native to California?
Yes. Elymus condensatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elymus condensatus bloom?
Elymus condensatus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Elymus condensatus grow?
Elymus condensatus occurs in Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, Orange, Santa Clara and other counties, at elevations of < 1830 m.
What plant family does Elymus condensatus belong to?
Elymus condensatus is in the Poaceae family, genus Elymus.
What habitat does Elymus condensatus grow in?
Elymus condensatus grows in dry slopes, open woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.