| Bromus rigidus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At the Copenhagen Botanical Garden | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Bromus |
| Species: | B. rigidus |
| Binomial name | |
| Bromus rigidus | |
Bromus rigidus, the ripgut brome, is a grass native to Eurasia and naturalized in North America. The specific epithet rigidus means rigid or stiff.
Bromus rigidus is an annual grass growing 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) tall. The culms, leaves, and panicle branches are all pubescent or harsh. The erect or ascending panicle has short branches that terminate in four to nine flowered spikelets. The reddish spikelets are 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long, including the awns measuring 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) long. The first glume has one nerve and the second has three. The lance-attenuate lemmas are unequal, with the lower having a long tooth on each side of the awn and the upper tapering to the beak. The scabrous lemmas are strongly ciliate. The anthers are approximately 1 mm (0.039 in) long. [1]
The common name "ripgut brome" refers to the heavy sclerotization of the species, creating a hazard to livestock. The seeds of the plant can penetrate the skin of livestock and the callus and awns can penetrate the mouth, eyes, and intestines of livestock. [2]
Bromus rigidus differs from the closely related Bromus diandrus in its shorter laminar hairs and more compact panicle with shorter spikelet branches. The elliptical abscission scars on rachillae and elongated lemma calluses of B. rigidus further distinguish the species from B. diandrus, with the latter possessing more short and circular scars and calluses. B. diandrus is susceptible to rust such as Puccinia bromoides whereas B. rigidus is unaffected. [3]
Bromus rigidus is common in waste places and rare near ports in the United States, occurring around areas such as Maryland, District of Columbia and north to Massachusetts. [1]
In Europe the grass occurs in the south and west, growing in weedy or disturbed areas, road verges, and ports. [2]
Bromus is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. They are commonly known as bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses or chess grasses. Estimates in the scientific literature of the number of species have ranged from 100 to 400, but plant taxonomists currently recognize around 160–170 species.
Bromus arvensis, the field brome, is a brome grass native to Europe and Asia. The specific epithet arvensis is Latin, meaning "of cultivated land".
Bromus hordeaceus, the soft brome, is an annual or biennial species of grass in the grass family (Poaceae). It is also known in North America as bull grass, soft cheat, and soft chess.
Bromus diandrus is a species of grass known by the common names great brome and "ripgut brome".
Ripgut brome or ripgut grass refers to some species of brome grasses:
Bromus interruptus, commonly known as the interrupted brome, is a flowering plant in the grass family. It is endemic to southern and central England, which became extinct in the wild in 1972. After several decades in cultivation, the interrupted brome was re-introduced to Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve in 2004, marking the first known re-introduction of an extinct plant in Britain. The plant was a weed of waste places and arable agriculture, particularly of sainfoin cultivation. It can be distinguished from all other Bromus species by its deeply split, or bifid, palea.
Bromus secalinus is a species of bromegrass known as rye brome. The specific epithet secalinus is Latin, meaning "rye-like". The fruits are hard, rounded glumes that appear superficially similar to the rye grain, which gives the brome its common and scientific name. The grass has a diploid number of 28.
Bromus madritensis is a species of brome grass known by the common name compact brome. The specific epithet madritensis refers to Madrid, Spain. It has a diploid number of 28.
Bromus briziformis is a species of brome grass known by the common name rattlesnake brome. The specific epithet briziformis comes from the resemblance of the grass to grasses of the genus Briza, particularly Briza maxima. The common name is derived from the resemblance of the spikelets to the rattles of rattlesnakes. The grass has a diploid number of 14.
Bromus catharticus is a species of brome grass known by the common names rescuegrass, grazing brome, prairie grass, and Schrader's bromegrass. The specific epithet catharticus is Latin, meaning cathartic. The common name rescuegrass refers to the ability of the grass to provide forage after harsh droughts or severe winters. The grass has a diploid number of 42.
Bromus ciliatus is a species of brome grass known by the common name fringed brome. It is native to most of North America, including most of Canada, most of the United States except for some portions of the South, and northern Mexico. It is a plant of many habitats, including temperate coniferous forest. The specific epithet ciliatus is Latin for "ciliate", referring to the delicate hairs of the leaf blades.
Bromus kalmii, Kalm's brome, is a species of brome grass. It is a native bunchgrass in the North-central and Northeastern United States, the Great Lakes region, and eastern Canada. The specific epithet kalmii refers to its discoverer Pehr Kalm.
Bromus erectus, commonly known as erect brome, upright brome or meadow brome, is a dense, course, tufted perennial grass. It can grow to 120 centimetres (47 in). Like many brome grasses the plant is hairy. The specific epithet erectus is Latin, meaning "erect". The diploid number of the grass is 56.
Bromus aleutensis, commonly known as the Aleutian brome, is a perennial grass found in North America. B. aleutensis has a diploid number of 56.
Bromus latiglumis, the earlyleaf brome, is a grass native to North America. The specific epithet latiglumis is Latin for "broad-glumed", referring to the wide glumes.
Bromus nottowayanus, the Nottoway Valley brome or satin brome, is a brome grass native to North America. The specific epithet nottowayanus refers to the Nottoway Valley. The grass has a diploid number of 14.
Bromus japonicus, the Japanese brome, is an annual brome grass native to Eurasia. The grass has a diploid number of 14.
Bromus squarrosus, the rough brome, is a brome grass native to Russia and Europe. The specific epithet squarrosus is Latin, meaning "with spreading tips". The grass has a diploid number of 14.
Bromus pacificus, the Pacific brome, is a perennial grass native to the Pacific coast of North America. Bromus pacificus has a diploid number of 28.
Bromus racemosus, the smooth brome or bald brome, is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae. It is native to subarctic and temperate Eurasia, and widely introduced elsewhere, including North America, Iceland, the Southern Cone of South America, the Korean Peninsula, Australia, and New Zealand. It grows in alkaline meadows and in waste places.
