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Montana Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Ripgut Brome - Bromus diandrus
Other Names:  Great Brome, Bromus rigidus

Non-native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: SNA
C-value: 0


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 

External Links






 
General Description
Stems 40–90 cm. Leaves: sheaths sparsely to densely long-soft-hairy; blades 2–5 mm wide. Inflorescence 8–30 cm, open, drooping. Spikelets strongly compressed with 3 to 9 florets; glumes keeled, glabrous; lower 8–16 mm long, 1-veined; upper 10–18 mm long, 3-veined. Lemma body 20–25 mm long, back rounded, densely silky-hairy, teeth 3–5 mm long, thread-like; awn 14–22 mm, bent, twisted below middle (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Diagnostic Characteristics
Montana has 7 species of annual Bromes (Bromus), and only 3 are described below. A technical manual is recommended, such as Manual of Montana Vascular Plants (Lesica et al. 2012).

Ripgut Brome - Bromus diandrus, exotic and undesirable
* Lemmas taper into 2 narrow teeth: bodies are 20-35 mm long and awns are greater than 10 mm.
* 1st Glume is 1-veined.

CheatgrassBromus tectorum, exotic, undesirable, and State-Regulated
* Seedlings have very hairy blades and sheaths.
* Awns are reddish-purple at maturity and easily stick to clothing and fur, and can get into the nostrils and eyes of animals.
* Glumes and lemmas are usually hairy. 1st Glume is 1-veined.
* Lemmas taper into 2 narrow teeth: bodies are 9-12 mm long and awns are greater than 10 mm.

Japanese BromeBromus japonica, exotic and undesirable
* Plants tend to grow in more moist sites than does Cheatgrass (but can co-occur).
* Awns are straight or curved outward, less than 10 mm long.
* Glumes and awns not usually hairy
* 1st Glume is 3-to 5-veined.
* Spikelets often several from branch ends.

Range Comments
Collected in Gallatin and Missoula cos. Introduced throughout most of western and southern North America (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 5

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density

Recency

 

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)



Habitat
Disturbed sites, partial shade, open understory, edges of buildings, and rocky sites (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Management

Stewardship Responsibility

References
  • Literature Cited AboveLegend:   View Online Publication
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
  • Additional ReferencesLegend:   View Online Publication
    Do you know of a citation we're missing?
    • Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2007. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
  • Web Search Engines for Articles on "Ripgut Brome"
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Citation for data on this website:
Ripgut Brome — Bromus diandrus.  Montana Field Guide.  .  Retrieved on , from