Bromus diandrus
Great Brome
Field view of Bromus diandrus, common name Great Brome. Each branch of the inflorescence has several spikelets |
A green field of Great Brome, also, a bit disgustingly, called Ripgut for its sharp awns, dangerous to grass-eaters. |
Note the long, stiff, awns. Each awn protrudes from a separate floret within the spikelets. |
More rarely, Great Brome can be tinted red (Cave Springs, Oak Creek). |
This is a whole field of Bromus diandrus in Prescott (Watson Woods) that is tinted red instead of green. |
This is another view of Great Brome. The quarter inch grid shows that the awns are about 2 inches long. |
A view of Great Brome after it is dry. |
Just another close view in Watson Woods. Brome spikelets are always on branches, so the inflorescence is a panicle. |
Annual grasses like Great Brome have relatively shallow and sparce roots, so they are much easier than perennials to pull or dig up. |
How to Identify Great Brome
First note that this is a Brome Grass. All bromes have panicles with branches. The spikelets are attached to these. The long, stiff awns are all you need once you find branches. Many grasses have long, thin, straight awns, but mostly not as long, not as stiff, and growing directly on the rachis rather than on branches. Double check that the Great Brome spikelets are on branches, so it has panicles rather than spikes. Great Brome is an annual grass.
Similar Species
Foxtail Barley (Hordeum jubatum) resembles Great Brome.
Even more alike is Squirreltail (Elymus elymoides). Squirreltail awns can be as
long as those of Bromus diandrus. However, both of the below, Foxtail and Squirreltail, have unbranched spikes, not
panicles, with spikelets attached directly to the rachis, the seedhead axis.
