Downy brome
June 10, 2015
Bromus tectorum L. Poaceae (Grass family)
Life cycle
Prostrate winter annual.
Downy brome plant.
Leaves
Both leaf surfaces and sheath are densely hairy. Leaves are rolled in the bud. Light green leaves have a distinctive twist and are soft to the touch.
Ligule
Membranous with a fringe of hairs.
Stems
Erect and clump-forming, up to 24 inches tall.
Flowers and fruit
The seedhead is a soft, dense, purple-tinged, drooping panicle at maturity that produces large, yellowish brown seeds. Seeds also have characteristically long awns.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Downy brome in wheat.
Similar weeds:
Cheat (Bromus secalinus L.)
Differs by having smooth or sparsely hairy leaves and shorter awns than those of downy brome.
Print a PDF of this page: Downy brome
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
Larval Sampling of Cherries to Determine Spotted Wing Drosophila Infestation
Published on June 26, 2025
-
The Wonders of Wild Bees: Small Organisms, Epic Possibilities
Published on April 6, 2021
-
Rufus Isaacs - 25th Anniversary of Project GREEEN
Published on January 11, 2024
-
Entomology: More Than Just Bugs
Published on August 28, 2017
-
Fighting Infectious Diseases: Small Organisms, Epic Possibilities
Published on February 4, 2021
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.