4. Bromus Asper Murr. Hairy Brome-Grass

Fig. 665

Bromus asper Murr. Prodr. Stirp. Goett. 42. 1770.

Culms 2°-6° tall, erect, simple, rough. Sheaths shorter than the internodes, strongly retrorse-hirsute, especially the lower; ligule 1 1/2" long; blades 8'-1° long or more, 3"-6" wide, rough or often hirsute; panicle 6'-12' in length, open, the branches usually drooping; spikelets 5-10-flowered, i'-i 1/2' long; empty scales acute, scabrous on the nerves, the first 1-nerved, the second longer, 3-nerved; flowering scales about 6" long, acute, hispid near the margins and on the lower part of the keel; awn 3"-4" long.

In waste places. New Brunswick to Michigan and Kentucky. Naturalized from Europe. July-Aug.

5. Bromus Ciliatus L. Fringed Brome-Grass. Wood Chess Or Cheat

Fig. 666

Bromus ciliatus L. Sp. PI. 76. 1753.

Culms 2°-4° tall, erect, simple, glabrous or pubescent. Sheaths often shorter than the in-ternodes, smooth or rough, often softly pubescent, or the lower sometimes sparingly hirsute; ligule very short; blades 4-12' long, 2"-6" wide, smooth beneath, scabrous and often pubescent above; panicle open, 4'-10' in length, its branches lax, widely spreading or often drooping; spike-lets 5-10-flowered, 1' long or less; empty scales very acute, glabrous, rough on the keel, the first 1-nerved, the second longer, 3-nerved; flowering scales 4"-6" long, obtuse or acute, 5-7-nerved, appressed-pubescent on the margins; awn 2"-4" long.

In woods and thickets, Newfoundland to Manitoba, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Texas. Variable. Hairy Brome-grass, Swamp-chess. July-Aug.

6. Bromus Purgans L. Hairy Wood Chess. Wild Chess

Fig. 667

Bromus purgans L. Sp. PI. 76. 1753.

B. purgans latiglumis Shear, Bull. U. S. Dep. Agr.

Agrost. 23: 40. 1900. B. incanus Hitchc. Rhodora 8: 212. 1906.

Culms 2°-5° tall, erect, glabrous or pubescent at the nodes. Leaf-sheaths longer or shorter than the internodes, more or less pubescent, often furnished with a conspicuous pilose ring at the summit; blades 6'-12' long, 2"-8" broad, glabrous or pubescent on the upper surface, smooth or rough beneath; panicle 6'-1° long, loose, often nodding; spikelets 7-12-flowered, 10"-12" long, the empty scales narrow, acuminate, sparsely pubescent, the lower 1-nerved, the upper 3-nerved, the flowering scales lanceolate, acute, usually 5-nerved, 5"-6" long, appressed-pubescent all over on the back, the straight awn 2"-3" long.

Woods and banks, Vermont to Montana, south to Florida and Texas. June-Aug.

7. Bromus Erectus Huds. Upright Brome-Grass

Fig. 668

Bromus erectus Huds. Fl. Angl. 39. 1762.

Culms 2°-3° tall, erect, simple, slender, smooth and glabrous. Sheaths shorter than the internodes, smooth and glabrous, or slightly pubescent; ligule 1/2" long, erose-truncate; blades sparingly pubescent, 1"-2" wide, those of the culm 4'-8' long, the basal about 1° long, very narrow; panicle 3'-7' in length, the branches erect or ascending, the lower 1'-3' long; spikelets 1/2'-l 1/2' long, sometimes purplish, 5-10-flowered; empty scales acuminate, the first 1-nerved, the second longer, 3-nerved; flowering scales 5"-6" long, acuminate, very rough-pubescent, 5-nerved, the intermediate nerves faint; awn 2"-3" long.

In waste places. Maine to Ontario and New York. Adven-tive from Europe. July-Aug.