Bromus vulgaris

HABIT Perennial. Culms 60–100 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or pubescent on abaxial surface; erose. Leaf-blades 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or drooping. Panicle branches terete.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–28 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1(–3) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 8–13 mm long; herbaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3–8 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 3–5 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 North America: western Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Bromeae. Fl Pac NW 1993.

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