Bromus catharticus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 80–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 3–8 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 10–40 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 16–40 mm long; 4–10 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–17 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 9–13 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma oblong; laterally compressed; 12–20 mm long; 3–7 mm wide; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; distinctly keeled; 9–13 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1–9 mm long overall. Palea 0.7–0.7 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–4 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.

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

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and middle Atlantic ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and north-central. North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Bromeae. Acedo 1996.

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