- Family:
- Poaceae Barnhart
- Genus:
- Bromus L.
Bromus sterilis L.

[GB]
- Morphology General Habit
- Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15-100 cm long; 3-5 -noded. Leaf-sheaths hispid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-4 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 5-20 cm long; 2-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; effuse; nodding; 5-25 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping; simple; 2-10 cm long; bearing 1(-3) fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
- Spikelets comprising 4-10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 20-35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
- Fertile
- Spikelets comprising 4-10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 20-35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
- Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume linear; 5-15 mm long; 0.6-0.7 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7.5-20 mm long; 0.7-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
- Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8-25 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel, or keeled; lightly keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.1-0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 15-40 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 0.8 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5-2 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.
- Distribution
- Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: north-central. North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA. South America: Caribbean and southern South America.
- Reference
- Bromeae. Acedo 1996.
Doubtfully present in:
Egypt
Native to:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, South European Russi, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia
Introduced into:
Alabama, Argentina Northeast, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Baltic States, British Columbia, California, Chatham Is., Chile Central, Chile South, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Falkland Is., Finland, Great Britain, Haiti, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kentucky, Korea, Madeira, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New South Wales, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Rhode I., Tasmania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Victoria, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia
- Anisantha sterilis (L.) Nevski
- Anisantha sterilis var. sicula (Strobl) H.Scholz
- Anisantha sterilis var. stenantha (Chiov.) H.Scholz
- Anisantha sterilis var. velutina (Volkens ex Hegi) Tzvelev
- Bromus amplus K.Koch
- Bromus delicatulus Sennen
- Bromus distichus Moench
- Bromus grandiflorus Weigel
- Bromus grandiflorus K.Koch
- Bromus jubatus Vill.
- Bromus jubatus Ten.
- Bromus longe-aristatus Gilib.
- Bromus scaberrimus Ten.
- Bromus scaberrimus St.-Lag.
- Bromus sterilis f. glaberrimus Soó
- Bromus sterilis var. stenanthus Chiov.
- Bromus tenoreanus Schult.
- Festuca sterilis (L.) Jess.
- Forasaccus distichus Bubani
- Genea sterilis (L.) Dumort.
- Schedonorus sterilis (L.) Fr.
- Zerna sterilis (L.) Gray
- English
- Barren Brome
Bromus sterilis L. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tenore, M. [s.n.] | K000913687 | Yes | |||
Sintenis, P.E.E. [888] | K000913686 | Yes | |||
Cope, T.A. [RBG 91], United Kingdom | K000914545 | Yes |
First published in Sp. Pl.: 77 (1753)
Accepted by
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Bor, N.L. (1968). Flora of Iraq 9: 1-588. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.
- Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
- Boulos, L. (2005). Flora of Egypt 4: 1-617. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
- Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
- Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Danin, A. (2004). Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina area: 1-517. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
- Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
- Edgar, E & Connor, H.E. (2010). Flora of New Zealand, ed. 2, 5: 1-650. R.E.Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
- Komiljon, T., Natalya, B., Avazbek, B., Dilnoza, A., Ziyoviddin, Y., Deng, T. & Sun, H. (2020). Flora of the Dzhizak Province, Uzbekistan: 1-523. China Forestry Publishing House.
- Koyama, T. (1987). Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions: an identification manual: 1-570. Kodansha, Tokyo, Japan.
- Meikle, R.D. (1985). Flora of Cyprus 2: 833-1970. The Bentham-Moxon Trust Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Meyer, F.K. (2011). Beiträge zur Flora von Albanien. Haussknechtia, Beih. 15: 1-220.
- Mirek, Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa, H., Zając, A. & Zając, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
- Nowak, A. & Nobis, M. (eds.) (2020). Illustrated Flora of Tajikistan and adjacent areas 2: 367-766. PAN, Polish academy of sciences.
- Saarela, J.M., Peterson, P.M. & Váldes-Reyna, J. (2014). A taxonomic revision of Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae: Bromeae) in México and Central America. Phytotaxa 185(1): 1-147.
- Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
- Wilson, A. (ed.) (2009). Flora of Australia 44A: 1-410. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae. Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
- Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.
Literature
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Bor, N.L. (1968). Flora of Iraq 9: 1-588. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.
- Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
- Boulos, L. (2005). Flora of Egypt 4: 1-617. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
- Broughton, D.A. & McAdam, J.H. (2002). The non-native vascular flora of the Falkland islands. Botanical Journal of Scotland 54: 153-190.
- Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
- Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
- Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
- Edgar, E & Connor, H.E. (2010). Flora of New Zealand, ed. 2, 5: 1-650. R.E.Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
- Hassler, M. (2012). Flora of Rhodes. Systematic list of flora of Rhodes http://www.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/~db111/flora/rhodos/list.php.
- Kharkevich, S.S., Probatova, N.S. & Novikov, V.S. (1985). Sosudistye rasteniia sovetskogo Dal'nego Vostoka 1: 1-383. Izd-vo "Nauka," Leningradskoe otd-nie, Leningrad.
- Koyama, T. (1987). Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions: an identification manual: 1-570. Kodansha, Tokyo, Japan.
- Marhold, K. (ed.) (2012). IAPT/IOPB chromosome data 13. Taxon 61: 889-902.
- Meikle, R.D. (1985). Flora of Cyprus 2: 833-1970. The Bentham-Moxon Trust Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Merkodovich, N.A. (ed.) (1941). Flora Uzbekistana 1: 1-566. Izd-va Akademii nauk Uzbekskoi SSR, Tashkent.
- Ovczinnikov, P.N. (ed.) (1957). Flora Tadzhikskoi SSR 1: 1-547. Izd-vo Akademii nauk SSSR, Moskva.
- Pavlov, N.V. (ed.) (1956). Flora Kazakhstana 1: 1-354. Alma-Ata, Izd-vo Akademii nauk Kazakhskoi SSR.
- Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
- Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
- Wilson, A. (ed.) (2009). Flora of Australia 44A: 1-410. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae. Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
- Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.
-
GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
-
Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
-
Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
-
Kew Living Collection Database
Common Names from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Living Collection https://www.kew.org/
-
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
-
Kew Science Photographs
Copyright applied to individual images