SafePlants

Soft Brome (Bromus hordeaceus)

Soft brome, also known as soft chess, is a common annual grass found in various habitats. This page provides information about its taxonomy, distribution, morphology, and ecological role.

Considerations for Pets

• This is a grass and awns are present, take care to ensure the grass and awns do not get stuck in fur and paws.

Scientific Name and Common Names

• Scientific Name: Bromus hordeaceus
• Common Names: Soft brome, Soft chess, Bull grass

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Family: Poaceae (True grass family)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies (e.g., Bromus hordeaceus ssp. hordeaceus, Bromus hordeaceus ssp. molliformis)
• Synonyms/Alternative Names: Bromus mollis, Bromus lepidus (slender soft brome)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Eurasia, particularly the Mediterranean region.
• Naturalized in all continents except Antarctica.
• Common throughout the UK.
• Widely distributed at lower elevations in California.
• Found in roadside verges, waste grounds, meadows, cultivated ground, open disturbed areas, and dunes.

Ecological Role

• Occurs as an arable weed.

Morphological Characteristics

• Annual or sometimes biennial grass.
• Grows from 30 cm up to 80 cm in height.
• Tufted growth habit.
• Stems are bent at the nodes and may be hairy.
• Leaves are flat, up to 12 cm long and 6 mm wide, softly hairy.
• Panicle is erect, 5 to 10 cm long, usually with many ovoid-conical tapering spikelets 10 to 25 mm long.
• Seed head has soft awns (silky touch).
• Flowers from April to July.
• Fibrous root system.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Can be a weed in cereal crops along with wild oats.

Quirky Facts

• The name "soft brome" refers to the silky touch of the seed head.