Bromus madritensis
L. Madrid BromeSlender, few-leaved annual, culms erect, occasionally shortly pubescent below the inflorescence, to 80 cm high. Leaves glabrous to moderately hairy; blade flat, to 20 cm long and 6 mm wide; ligule glabrous, toothed to deeply laciniate, 1–2 mm long. Inflorescence a moderately to quite dense narrowly ovoid panicle, to 15 cm long, but often much less, branches and pedicels erect, mostly shorter than the spikelets, but at least the lower 1 cm long or more. Spikelets 4–10-flowered, shortly hairy, rarely almost glabrous, oblong-cuneate, 18–35 mm long (excluding awns), florets rather loosely arranged and somewhat spreading; lower glume 1-nerved, 5–10 mm long, upper glume 3-nerved, 8–15 mm long, both very narrow; lemma 12–20 mm long, excluding awn, with a distinct dorsal angle, entire at apex or notched to 2 mm deep; awn 10–22 mm long, inserted 2–3 mm below lemma apex, straight or slightly outcurved at maturity. Flowers Aug.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Naturalised in all mainland States except NT, widely in temperate countries. Indigenous to southern Europe. A common crop weed in the north-west of the State, occasional on dry or shallow, rocky soils elsewhere. A variable species, smaller plants may be confused with depauperate specimens of the generally more compact Bromus rubens.
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
