Elymus salina
Salina pass wild-rye
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Elymus salina (Salina pass wild-rye) is a native California perennial in the Poaceae family, recognized by very short/absent glumes and hairy leaf blade upper surface.
Salina pass wild-rye is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) native perennial found in the Desert Mountains of Inyo and San Bernardino counties on north-facing slopes of pinyon and juniper woodland at elevations of 1,350 to 2,860 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces pale green to tan spikelets in compact clusters 4 to 14 centimeters long. Growing in dense tufts with erect stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall and generally smooth surfaces, it forms robust clumps in rocky mountain habitats. Its leaf blades are narrow, 1 to 5 millimeters wide, with evenly hairy upper surfaces and smooth lower surfaces. The plant's spikelets typically bear 3 to 6 florets with lemmas 7 to 13 millimeters long, often ending in short awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; key features are very short/absent glumes and hairy leaf blade upper surface
Habitat and range
Habitat: N-facing slopes of pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1350-2860 m
Outside California: to Idaho, western Colorado, northern Arizona
Bloom period
Elymus salina blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
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 salina native to California?
Yes. Elymus salina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elymus salina bloom?
Elymus salina blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Elymus salina belong to?
Elymus salina is in the Poaceae family, genus Elymus.
Is Elymus salina rare or endangered?
Elymus salina carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S2S3.
What habitat does Elymus salina grow in?
Elymus salina grows in N-facing slopes of pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.