Click on image to enlarge
|
DESCRIPTION:
Ripgut brome, an annual that occurs throughout California, has a tubular sheath
on the seedling, distinguishing it from most other grass seedlings. Soft hairs
cover the blades and sheaths. The
membranous ligule is long, whitish, and jagged. No auricles present. Open panicles
resemble oats. Large spikelets have awns that are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 - 5
cm) long, distinguishing it from another
common bromegrass, soft brome, which has much shorter
awns. The floret parts have tiny, rough teeth that are injurious to livestock
and pets. To distinguish from wild oat, dig down and check for seed coat. Brome can become
established over a wide range of soil moisture, and the presence of a surface
mulch of crop residue favors its buildup.
Grass ID illustration.
|
