Bromus catharticus Vahl

Global description

Bromus catharticus is an annual, biennial or perennial grass, with an erect tuft and the stem less than 1 m high. The leaves have triangular membranous ligules, are linear, acute at the end, with a glabrous or almost surface containing inconspicuous ribs. The elliptical spikelets which are laterally compressed, in large size, and with leathery glumes, are grouped into an open panicle with filiform branches. The seed is elongated linear, 7 mm long.

 
First leaves
 
The prefoliation is rolled.
 
General habit
 
Grass can be annual, biennial or perennial, with an erect tuft.
 
Underground system
 
The underground system is fibrous.
 
Culm
 
The culm of the grass is 3 mm in diameter and 34 to 87 cm high.
 
Leaf
 
The sheath is glabrous to pubescent. The ligule is membranous (3 mm long) and triangular, rounded or pointed at the end. The leaf blade is linear, 10 to 32 cm long and 5 to 12 mm wide, with a pointed end. Its upper surface is glabrous or slightly hairy, the underside being glabrous. The ribs are inconspicuous.
 
Inflorescence
 
The inflorescence is an open panicle, 10-31 cm long, with one or more spacious filiform branches.
 
Flower
 
The spikelet (27 or 28 mm long and 5-6 mm wide) is composed of 4 to 12 flowers, elliptical, and strongly compressed laterally. The stalks are covered with short, small and erect hairs. The lower glume (12 to 14 mm long) which is slightly leathery, is lanceolate and acute at the end. It has 7 ribs. The upper glume (13 to 15 mm long) is leathery, widely lanceolate, with a pointed end and the surface is covered with short and stiff hairs, containing 11 ribs. The lemma is leathery (19 mm long), widely lanceolate, pointed at the end (not prolonged by an edge), with an unrolled margin, and has 11 ribs on which there are short straight hairs. The membraneous palea (8 to 10 mm) is linear-oblong, pointed at the end, and has 2 ribs which are ciliated.
 
Grain
 
The linear-oblong grain measures 7 mm long.

Origin
South America

https://www.gbif.org/species/2703723