Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by subsp. virescens by longer lemma awns.
Blue wild rye is a California native perennial grass found in open areas, chaparral, woodland, and forest habitats throughout California at elevations up to 2,890 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces pale greenish-blue flower clusters with distinctive awns 20 to 30 millimeters long. Growing in robust clumps with erect or slightly arching stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall, it forms dense grass patches. Its leaf blades are variable, ranging from nearly smooth to slightly hairy or rough to the touch, typically 10 to 30 centimeters long and 3 to 10 millimeters wide. The grass produces elongated seed heads with slender, spreading awns that give it a delicate, feathery appearance in late summer.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species; distinguished from subsp. virescens by longer lemma awns
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas, chaparral, woodland, forest
Elevation: < 2890 m
California counties: El Dorado, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, San Diego, Ventura, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, Kern, Tuolumne, Mono, Tulare, Santa Clara, Amador, Alpine, Placer, Calaveras, Madera, Modoc, San Benito, Tehama, Yolo, Yuba, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Marin, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Plumas, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, Sutter, Trinity, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Colusa, Stanislaus
Outside California: western North America, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus 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 glaucus subsp. glaucus native to California?
Yes. Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus bloom?
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus grow?
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus occurs in El Dorado, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, San Diego, Ventura, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and other counties, at elevations of < 2890 m.
What plant family does Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus belong to?
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus is in the Poaceae family, genus Elymus.
What habitat does Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus grow in?
Elymus glaucus subsp. glaucus grows in Open areas, chaparral, woodland, forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.