Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus
Slender wheat grass, Slender Wheat Grass
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus (Slender wheat grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by tiny anthers 1-2.5mm clearly separate it from congeners.
Slender wheat grass is a native perennial grass found in California (excluding the Great Valley) in dry to moist open areas, forests, and woodlands at elevations below 3,400 meters. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces pale green to greenish-white spikelets in compact clusters 4 to 25 centimeters long. Growing in dense tufts or with weak rhizomes, it reaches 30 to 150 centimeters tall with slender, upright stems. Its leaves are narrow, 2 to 5 millimeters wide, flat to slightly rolled, with very small auricles less than 1 millimeter long. The plant's delicate spikelets feature narrow lance-shaped glumes and can produce awns up to 40 millimeters long, giving the grass a distinctive, slightly bristly appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species; diagnostic tiny anthers 1-2.5mm clearly separate it from congeners
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry to moist, open areas, forest, woodland
Elevation: < 3400 m
California counties: Alpine, Fresno, Humboldt, Inyo, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Plumas, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Nevada, San Mateo, Siskiyou, Trinity, Alameda, Amador, Butte, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Sonoma, Tehama, Placer, Sierra, Shasta, Merced, Colusa, Ventura, Solano, Monterey, San Benito
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern United States, Greenland, Mexico
Bloom period
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus 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 trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus native to California?
Yes. Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus bloom?
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus grow?
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus occurs in Alpine, Fresno, Humboldt, Inyo, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of < 3400 m.
What plant family does Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus belong to?
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus is in the Poaceae family, genus Elymus.
What habitat does Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus grow in?
Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus grows in dry to moist, open areas, forest, 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.