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Bromus anomalus - nodding brome

Scientific Family
Poaceae
Synonyms
Bromopsis anomala
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
No

Grass Description

Origin
Native
Season
Cool

Mostly mountain scrub, oak and pinyon juniper woodlands, ponderosa parklands, aspen groves and mountain meadows.

Plant Community
Grasslands
Interior Chaparral
Montane Conifer Forest
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Low elevation
5000
High elevation
8000
Similar species
Bromus ciliatus, Bromus porteri

General Description

Perennial bunchgrass having many stems from one main root mass. Seedheads droop. B. anomalus having culm leaves with midribs that are narrowed just below the collar, as well as auricles.

Perennials without rhizomes; seedheads are branched, nodding; spikelets are rounded and multi-flowered; glumes without hairs; lemmas are densely hairy. Seedheads fewer than B. ciliatus . Blades have midribs that narrow just below the collar.

Grass type
Perennial bunchgrass
Rhizomes
No
Stolons
No
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
No
Bushy - highly branched
No
Height with Seedheads
Greater than 36 inches
Seedhead Structure
Branched - open and spreading
Seedhead droops
Yes
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
July

Flower Characteristics

Flowers per Spikelet
Multi-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
No
Awns
Less than 1/4 inch
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes

Seedheads short, drooping with few spikelets per branch. First glumes 3-nerved, second 5-nerved. Spikelets densely hairy.

Vegetative Characteristics

Blade is hairy
Yes
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Flat

Narrow, about 1/8 inch wide, dull bluish green, sparsely hairy. Seedhead blades have midribs that are narrowed just below the collar.

Sheath is hairy
Yes
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
No
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
Yes

Excellent when available in sufficient quantity.