keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

860 POACEAE/BROMUS
(TAES), and Upshur (BRIT) cos. For those wishing to separate the two, Yatskievych (1999) and
Planchuelo and Peterson (2000) distinguished them using the following characters:
1. Most of the lemmas (except sometimes the lowermost few of each spikelet) with awns noticeably
curved, twisted, or abruptly bent outward, the tips mostly spreading; spikelets inflated, turgid;
florets imbricate, the rachilla not evident at maturity __________________________________ B. japonicus
1. Lemmas with awns straight or nearly so, ascending; spikelets neither inflated nor turgid, instead
somewhat compressed; florets slightly imbricate, the rachilla evident at maturity ____________ B. commutatus
Bromus lanceolatus Roth, (lanceolate, lance-shaped), MEDITERRANEAN BROME. Annual 26–60
cm tall; leaf sheaths hirsute; inflorescences open to loosely contracted, the branches ascending
to erect; spikelets conspicuously villous, very large, (20–)30–50 mm long at maturity; lemmas
with awn 15–22 mm long, conspicuously curved. Disturbed areas, roadside ditches; in TX
known only from Brazos (BRIT—2 collections, one by F. Gould, TAES, TAMU) and Washington
(ASTC, TAES) cos.; introduced to a few scattered locations in the U.S.—LA, NY, TX, and Washington,
D.C. (Pavlick 1995; Kartesz 1999). Spring. Native of s Europe. [B. macrostachys Desf.]
Gould (1975b) noted that the species (as B. macrostachys) was locally abundant and widespread
in the area of College Station. The few TX specimens of this introduced species do not match
the description of the species in three of the major treatments of Bromus (Flora Europaea—
Smith 1980; Bromus L. of North America—Pavlick 1995; Flora of North America—Pavlick ined.).
For example, in these treatments, the length of the lemma awns is given as 6–12 mm long,
much shorter than awns seen in the TX material examined. In some ways the TX material
more closely resembles B. alopecurus Poir., which is reported to have lemma awns up to 18 mm
long (Wilken & Painter 1993). Texas material of this species is in need of detailed study. I
Bromus pubescens Muhl. ex Willd., (downy), HAIRY WOODLAND BROME, CANADA BROME. Perennial
70–120(–150) cm tall, forming small clumps or tufts; leaf sheaths spreading-pilose; inflorescences
with spikelets drooping or spreading; spikelets densely pubescent, 18–35 mm long; lemmas
with awn 2–8 mm long. Woods and thickets; Pineywoods w to East Cross Timbers and e
Edwards Plateau; se Canada and throughout e U.S. w to ND and TX. Late Apr–early Jun. [B.
nottowayanus Fernald, B. purgans L.—a rejected name (McNeill 1976)] Because of its wide leaf
blades (5–10(–15) mm wide) and woodland habitat, without an inflorescence this species can be
confused with Chasmanthium latifolium, WOOD-OATS; however, the conspicuously flat, glabrous
spikelets of C. latifolium make that species instantly recognizable. We are tentatively following
Gould (1975b) and Hatch (2002) in including B. nottowayanus in this species. Bromus
nottowayanus was mapped for East TX by Wagnon (1952) and Pavlick (1995); the name has
been applied to individuals with 5-veined upper glumes. According to Hatch (2002), “this character
alone does not warrant recognition. …” Barkworth et al. (2002) did not map B.
nottowayanus for TX. Yatskievych (1999), however, recognized this species and separated it from
the very similar B. pubescens as follows:
1. Leaf blades with the undersurface shiny (sometimes difficult to see when dried; also note that
the shiny undersurface appears as the “upper” surface because the blade is twisted at the base);
sheaths with a dense ring of hairs on the outer surface at the apex (on the side opposite the
ligule); upper glume mostly 5-veined ______________________________________________ B. nottowayanus
1. Leaf blades with the undersurface dull; sheaths lacking a well-defined ring of hairs at the apex,
although the outer surface sometimes uniformly hairy; upper glume 3-veined ________________ B. pubescens
Bromus secalinus L., (like rye—Secale), RYE BROME, CHEAT, CHESS. Annual 20–100(–120) cm tall;
leaf sheaths glabrous or (especially lower ones) densely pubescent; inflorescences � open, the
branches spreading to ascending; spikelets usually glabrous or inconspicuously pubescent,
(10–)15–25 mm long; lemmas with awn usually 3–9 mm long, straight or somewhat curved, but
neither sharply twisted nor bent. Roadsides, fields, and disturbed sites; widespread in TX, par-