Poaceae
Bromus

Bromus exaltatus Bernh.

First published in Index Seminum (Erfordia) 1840: [3] (1841)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Central America. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms geniculately ascending; 45-80 cm long; 2 mm diam. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous, or pilose; with reflexed hairs. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-2 mm long. Leaf-blades 10-30 cm long; 3-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 10-12 cm long; glabrous. Panicle open; lanceolate; nodding; 10-22 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1-3 -nate; 5-11 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 25-32 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 25-32 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5-11.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.5-14 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 12-17 mm long; chartaceous; purple and yellow; bordered with last colour; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 2.5-4 mm long overall. Palea 8.7-10.5 mm long. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.2-2.8 mm long; yellow. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Bromeae. Fl Costaric 1993.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). 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 Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0