Bromus erectus Huds.

Graminae

Synonyms

Bromopsis erecta (Huds.) Fourr., Zerna erecta (Huds.) S.F. Gray

Common names

Upright brome (English), Brome dressé (French), Aufrechte trespe (German).

Description

Perennial plant, robust, hairy, cespitous. Stems erect, 30 - 100 cm high. Blade folded when young, large and spreading on the upper leaves (up to 6 mm wide), usually rolled (2 - 3 mm) on the inferior leaves. Ligule short, truncate, slightly dentate. No auricles. Panicle-like inflorescence, stiff, with erect branches. Spikelets with 5 - 9 aristate flowers, 2 - 3 cm long. Lemma supplied with an awn equal to almost the half of the lemma length. The weight of 1000 seeds is 4.0 to 5.3 g (big seeds). Chromosome number: : 2n = 42 or 56.

Temperature

Large distribution in wet temperate, warm temperate and mediterranean climates.

Water

Very resistant to drought.

Soil

Restricted to dry and very dry soils. Only on nutrient poor and calcareous, medium deep to shallow soils. Stony, calcareous soils.

Distribution

Native to Europe except in the northern part, and to North Africa. Distributed mainly in the lowlands, climbs up to almost 1000 m in the Alps. Introduced in North America.

References