Bromus berteroanus

HABIT Perennial. Culms 10–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; dense; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 13–22 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–8 mm long; 0.3–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 10 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 2–3 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–12 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, southwest USA, and Mexico. South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Bromeae. WDC.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.