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red brome
Scientific Name: Bromus rubens
Family: Poaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Annual
Other Names:
Red Brome (Bromus rubens)
Red brome, scientifically known as Bromus rubens, is a species of brome grass also referred to as foxtail brome, foxtail chess, compact brome, or Spanish brome. The name "red brome" comes from the reddish color of the leaves and seed heads, with "rubens" meaning red. The seed head also resembles a fox's tail, which explains the name "foxtail brome".
Considerations for Pets
- Red brome has stiff stems, and its dried form has large fluffy heads that can potentially cause irritation if ingested or come into contact with the skin.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Bromus rubens L.
- Synonyms: Bromus madritensis subsp. rubens
- Taxonomic Tree:
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Family: Poaceae
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to the Mediterranean region.
- Naturalized across all of Australia except the Northern Territory.
- Introduced in the southwestern United States, particularly in the semi-desert summer precipitation areas of southern Utah.
- Can be found in Malhuer County, Oregon.
Ecological Role
- Red brome is an invasive annual grass, particularly in southwestern USA deserts.
- Unlike native annuals, it does not maintain a soil seed bank.
- The grass grows densely under native shrubs and in open spaces between shrubs.
- Red brome produces large amounts of biomass, increasing the amount and continuity of fine fuels, which can contribute to range fires.
Morphological Characteristics
- Tufted bunchgrass, typically growing from 8 to 20 inches tall.
- Several to numerous stems spread upwards from the base.
- Young plants are green, mature to a purplish color, and then fade to a tan-straw color.
- Winter annual grass.
Quirky Facts
- Red brome's scientific name, rubens, literally means "red," a direct reference to the plant's distinctive reddish hue in its leaves and seed heads.
Further Information
- Forest Service, Southwestern Region. Field Guide for Managing Red Brome in the Southwest. September 2014. TP-R3-16-19.
- Element Stewardship Abstract for Bromus rubens.
- Anita Thompson. NRES 441. Invasive Plants. www.forestryimages. org//3072x2048/5391954.jpg
- http://www.californiachaparral.com/adesertfires
- Relationships of Native Desert Plants with Red Brome (Bromus rubens): Toward Identifying Invasion-Reducing Species on ResearchGate
- Wikimedia Commons file: Red brome (Bromus madriensis rubens) Hidden Valley.jpg