rescuegrass
Family
PoaceaeScientific Name
Bromus catharticus
Synonyms (former Scientific Names):
Festuca unioloides
Bromus brevis
Bromus unioloides
Ceratochloa willdenowii
Bromus willdenowii
Ceratochloa cathartica
Bromus haenkeanus
Habit
Rescuegrass is a tufted upright grass that grows to approximately 3 feet tall.
Leaves
Leaves are long, reaching up to 14 inches long, and less than half an inch broad. There are no hairs on the underside of the leaves but there might be some pubescence on the upper side of the leaf. The ligule is a tall membrane (around 4mm).
Identifying Characteristics
Rescuegrass can behave as a winter annual or biennial. The leaves of this brome can lack hairs but the leaf sheath can be pubescent while the stem is glabrous.
Flower Seed Head
This seedhead has an open panicle (2.5 to 11in) that tends to droop.
Seed Fruit
The fruit for rescuegrass is a caryopsis, a dry single seed. The seed is tan, without hairs, and about half an inch in size.
Where Found
This weed is found in cultivated and non crop areas such as fields, pastures, and roadsides.
Leaf Hair on Upper Surface
Varies:
no hairs,
hairs on basal half only
Leaf Arrangement
rolled in bud
Mature Leaf Width
Varies:
less than 5 mm,
6 to 15 mm
Stem
flat or oval
Seedhead
panicle
Root Structure
fibrous
Life Cycle
winter annual
Auricle
not present
Ligule
membrane
Ligule Length
Varies:
2-3 mm,
more than 3 mm
Plant Type
Grass