Bromus catharticus var. catharticus

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 199.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator: Cindy Roché

Copyright: Utah State University

Plants annual or biennial; tufted. Culms 30-120 cm, erect or decumbent. Sheaths usually densely, often retrorsely, hairy, hairs sometimes confined to the throat; ligules 1-4 mm, glabrous or pilose, erose; blades 4-26 cm long, 3-10 mm wide, glabrous or hairy on both surfaces. Panicles 9-28 cm, open, erect or nodding; lower branches 1-4 per node, spreading or ascending, with 1-5 spikelets. Spikelets 20-30 mm, with 6-12 florets. Lower glumes 5-7-veined; upper glumes 9-13 mm, (7)9(11)-veined; lemmas 11-20 mm, glabrous or scabrous, sometimes pubescent distally, (9)11-13-veined; awns absent or to 3.5 mm; anthers about 0.5 mm in cleistogamous florets, 2-4 mm in chasmogamous florets. 2n = 42.

Discussion

Bromus catharticus var. catharticus is native to South America. It has been widely introduced in the flora region as a forage crop and is now established, particularly in the southern half of the United States. It usually grows on disturbed soils.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Leon E. Pavlickf +
D.C. +, Kans. +, N.Dak. +, Okla. +, Pacific Islands (Hawaii) +, Fla. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, Tex. +, La. +, Nebr. +, Tenn. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Pa. +, N.Y. +, Nev. +, Va. +, Alta. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, Ont. +, Colo. +, Calif. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Ill. +, Ga. +, Iowa +, Ariz. +, Md. +, Ohio +, Utah +, Mo. +, Miss. +, Ky. +, Oreg. +  and S.Dak. +
Introduced +
Ceratochloa unioloides +, Bromus willdenowii +  and Bromus unioloides +
Bromus catharticus var. catharticus +
Bromus catharticus +
variety +