smooth brome
Family
PoaceaeScientific Name
Bromus inermisOther Common Names:
austrian brome
hungarian brome
hungarian bromegrass
Russian brome
awnless brome
bromegrass
Habit
Smooth brome is an upright grass that can grow to 4 feet tall.
Leaves
The plant produces numerous basal and stem leaves that vary in length from 4 to 10 inches. Frequently the leaves are marked by a transverse wrinkle resembling a "W" a short distance below the tip. Leaf blades tend to be glabrous but can have some hairs.
Identifying Characteristics
Bromus inermis, smooth brome, is a leafy, sod-forming, perennial, cool season grass that spreads by rhizomes. This species is both native and introduced. The stems vary in height from 2 to 4 feet. There are approximately 136,000 seeds per pound. Smooth brome is the most widely used of the cultivated bromegrasses and has been cultivated in the U.S. since the early 1880s.
Flower Seed Head
The flower head develops a characteristic rich purplish-brown color when mature.
Seed Fruit
The seed is produced in semi-compact 5 inch long panicles with ascending branches. The flat compressed seed is usually awnless, about 1/3 inch long, and smooth.
Where Found
Smooth brome is best adapted to cooler climates and is generally hardier than tall fescue or orchardgrass. It is resistant to drought and extremes in temperature. This plant is very susceptible to disease in areas of high humidity. Smooth brome grows best on slightly acid to slightly alkaline well drained clay loam soils with high fertility but it will also grow well on lighter textured soils where adequate moisture and fertility are maintained. Smooth brome performs best in a pH range of 6.0 to 7.5. Stands are difficult to obtain and growth is poor on soils high in soluble salts.
Smooth brome is distributed throughout most of the United States.
Leaf Hair on Upper Surface
Varies:
no hairs,
hairs from base to tip
Leaf Arrangement
rolled in bud
Mature Leaf Width
Varies:
less than 5 mm,
6 to 15 mm,
more than 15 mm
Stem
flat or oval
Seedhead
panicle
Root Structure
fibrous
Life Cycle
winter annual
Auricle
not present
Ligule
membrane
Ligule Length
Varies:
less than 1 mm,
1-2 mm
Plant Type
Grass