Bromus lithobius Trin., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Bromus andinus Phil.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Chilean brome

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40-80 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4 mm long. Leaf-blades 9-15 cm long; 2-6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; lanceolate; 15 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 14-20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 0.66-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8-11 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3-6 mm long overall. Palea gaping. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Flower: Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage above style insertion; pubescent on apex. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex fleshy. Hilum linear"  (GrassBase).

Description from Flora of New Zealand.

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "waste ground.  Occurs on low fertility lighter, summer dry soils, often on roadsides, but does not survive trampling or drought"  (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 364).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Argentina and Chile (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 551)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 551)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 364)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Bromus lithobius is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Bromus lithobius as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Bromus lithobius may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John. 2011. Naturalized species in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Unpublished spreadsheet.

Clayton, W.D./Harman, K.T./Williamson, H. 2011. World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval [GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora]. The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido. 2006. Nouveau catalogue de la flore vaculaire de l'archipel Juan Fernández (Chile) [Nuevo catálogo de la flora vacular del Archipélago Juan Fernández (Chile)]. Acta Bot. Gallica 153(4):399-587.

Edgar, E./Connor, H. 2000. Flora of New Zealand, vol. V: Gramineae. Manaaki Whenua Press. .

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.