Family: Poaceae
Author: Vahl
Bibliography: Symb. Bot. 2: 22 (1791)
Year: 1791
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Bromus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Venezuela to S. South America
Description
Rescuegrass, scientifically known as Bromus catharticus, is a noteworthy grass species found predominantly from Venezuela extending to southern regions of South America. This species, which belongs to the Poaceae family, holds significant ecological importance within its native range.
First described by the botanist Vahl in the year 1791, as documented in the Symbolae Botanicae (Symb. Bot. 2: 22), Rescuegrass has since been acknowledged for its adaptability and resilience. The plant typically thrives in a variety of environmental conditions, contributing to its widespread presence across different South American landscapes.
Rescuegrass plays a vital role in both natural ecosystems and agricultural settings. In natural habitats, it provides essential ground cover, preventing soil erosion and promoting biodiversity. The robust nature of the species, along with its ability to grow in diverse climates, makes it an ideal choice for stabilizing disturbed soils and recovering degraded land areas.
In agricultural contexts, Bromus catharticus is often utilized as a forage grass, valued for its nutritious quality and palatability to livestock. Its high protein content and rapid growth rate make it a preferred option for pasture enhancement and sustainable grazing practices.
Despite its many benefits, the invasive potential of Rescuegrass in regions outside its native range cannot be overlooked. Effective management strategies are essential to prevent its unintended spread and to mitigate possible adverse effects on local ecosystems.
Overall, Bromus catharticus, or Rescuegrass, stands out as a versatile and valuable species within the Poaceae family. Its extensive distribution from Venezuela to southern South America highlights its adaptability and importance within both native ecosystems and agricultural systems.
Common Names
Fra: brome purgatif, brome cathartique
Heb: bromit gdola, ברומית גדולה
Ita: forasacco spuntato
Deu: horntrespe, willdenow-trespe, ährengrasähnliche trespe
Lit: paprastoji ragažolė
Eng: rescue brome, rescuegrass, rescue grass, schrader’s brome
Hun: willdenow-rozsnok*
Por: bromo-de-schrader
Spa: cebadill criolla, cebadilla, cebadilla australiana, espiguilla
Est: lapik luste
En: Rescuegrass, Rescue Brome, Rescue grass, Schrader’s brome
Ca: Bromus catàrtic
Nl: Paardegras
Et: Lapik luste
Fr: Brome purgatif, Brome cathartique, Brome de Schrader, Brome de Willdenow, Brome faux uniola
De: Horntrespe, Willdenow-Trespe, Ährengrasähnliche Trespe, Pampas-Trespe, Willdenows Trespe
He: Bromit gdola, ברומית גדולה
Hu: Willdenow-rozsnok*
It: Forasacco spuntato, Forasacco purgativo
Lt: Paprastoji ragažolė
Pt: Bromo-de-schrader
Es: Cebadill criolla, Cebadilla, Cebadilla australiana, Espiguilla, Chojlla, Rabada, Yawara
Synonyms
- Bromus strictus ((Poir.) Kunth)
- Bromus unioloides var. haenkeanus ((J.Presl) Shear)
- Bromus unioloides (Kunth)
- Bromus unioloides var. major (A.Zobel)
- Ceratochloa willdenowii ((Kunth) W.A.Weber)
- Bromus unioloides var. pubiflorus (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides f. pseudoparviflorus (Kloos)
- Bromus matthewsii (Steud.)
- Festuca unioloides (Willd.)
- Bromus unioloides var. parviflorus (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides var. sanjuaninus (Hieron.)
- Bromus bolivianus (Renvoize)
- Ceratochloa haenkeana (J.Presl)
- Bromus schraderi (Kunth)
- Ceratochloa unioloides var. lasiophylla ((Goiran) Fiori)
- Ceratochloa unioloides var. glauca (Schltdl.)
- Ceratochloa submutica (Steud.)
- Bromus willdenowii var. schraderi (Hein)
- Bromus haenkeanus ((J.Presl) Kunth)
- Ceratochloa haenkeana var. patens (Nees)
- Bromus unioloides f. glabrescens (Kloos)
- Zerna unioloides ((Kunth) Lindm.)
- Ceratochloa simplex (Nees)
- Ceratochloa breviaristata (Hook.)
- Bromus unioloides f. effusus (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides var. glaucescens (Nees)
- Festuca stricta (Poir.)
- Bromus willdenowii var. haenkeanus ((J.Presl) Shear)
- Bromus mathewsii (Steud.)
- Ceratochloa pendula (Schrad.)
- Ceratochloa festucoides (P.Beauv.)
- Bromus unioloides f. oliveus (Aellen ex Kloos)
- Ceratochloa boryana (Roem. & Schult.)
- Ceratochloa unioloides ((Willd.) P.Beauv.)
- Bromus unioloides var. montanus (Hack.)
- Ceratochloa haenkeana var. subspicata (Nees)
- Bromus angustatus (Pilg.)
- Bromus brongniartii (Kunth)
- Tragus unioloides ((Willd.) B.D.Jacks.)
- Bromus unioloides var. grandiflorus (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides var. humilis (Speg.)
- Bromus unioloides f. pictus (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides f. lanatus (Kloos)
- Ceratochloa secunda (J.Presl)
- Bromus unioloides f. pubiculmis (Kloos)
- Bromus unioloides f. chasmogamus (Hack.)
- Bromus unioloides var. lanceolatus (Kloos)
- Festuca quitensis (Spreng.)
- Bromus tacna (Steud.)
- Bromus mucronatus (Willd. ex Steud.)
- Bromus preslii (Kunth)
- Bromus willdenowii var. lasiophyllus ((Goiran) Beetle)
- Bromus schraderi var. lasiophyllus (Goiran)
- Ceratochloa cathartica ((Vahl) Herter)
- Bromus unioloides f. cleistogamus (Hack.)
- Ceratochloa unioloides var. humilis (Nees)
- Serrafalcus unioloides ((Kunth) Samp.)
- Bromus schraderi var. leiophyllus (Goiran)
- Bromus willdenowii (Kunth)
- Schedonorus unioloides ((Kunth) Roem. & Schult.)
- Forasaccus breviaristatus ((Hook.) Lunell)
- Bromus unioloides var. micranthus (Speg.)
- Ceratochloa australis (Spreng. ex Steud.)
- Bromus unioloides var. multiflorus (Aellen & Thell. ex Kloos)
- Bromus breviaristatus ((Hook.) Thurb.)
Distribution
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Argentina South (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Chile Central (native)
- Chile North (native)
- Chile South (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- Juan Fernández Is. (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Alberta (introduced)
- Algeria (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Austria (introduced)
- Azores (introduced)
- Belgium (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Canary Is. (introduced)
- Cape Provinces (introduced)
- Cape Verde (introduced)
- Central European Rus (introduced)
- Chatham Is. (introduced)
- China North-Central (introduced)
- China South-Central (introduced)
- China Southeast (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Cyprus (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- East European Russia (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Easter Is. (introduced)
- Egypt (introduced)
- Ethiopia (introduced)
- Falkland Is. (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- France (introduced)
- Free State (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Germany (introduced)
- Guatemala (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Inner Mongolia (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Iran (introduced)
- Jamaica (introduced)
- Japan (introduced)
- Jawa (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kazakhstan (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Kenya (introduced)
- Kermadec Is. (introduced)
- Khabarovsk (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Kriti (introduced)
- Kuwait (introduced)
- KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
- Labrador (introduced)
- Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
- Lesotho (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Madeira (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Mexico Central (introduced)
- Mexico Gulf (introduced)
- Mexico Northeast (introduced)
- Mexico Northwest (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Morocco (introduced)
- Namibia (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- Nepal (introduced)
- Nevada (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- New Zealand South (introduced)
- Norfolk Is. (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- North Dakota (introduced)
- North European Russi (introduced)
- Northern Provinces (introduced)
- Northwest European R (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pakistan (introduced)
- Palestine (introduced)
- Panamá (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Portugal (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Queensland (introduced)
- Rwanda (introduced)
- Réunion (introduced)
- Saudi Arabia (introduced)
- Sicilia (introduced)
- South Australia (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South Dakota (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Spain (introduced)
- Sri Lanka (introduced)
- St.Helena (introduced)
- Swaziland (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Taiwan (introduced)
- Tanzania (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Transcaucasus (introduced)
- Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
- Tristan da Cunha (introduced)
- Tunisia (introduced)
- Uganda (introduced)
- Ukraine (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Victoria (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- West Himalaya (introduced)
- Western Australia (introduced)
- Western Sahara (introduced)
- Xinjiang (introduced)
- Zimbabwe (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken Mar 28, 2016 by EOL − Sam Kieschnick (cc-by-nc)
Taken May 17, 2015 by EOL − Carlos D. Ross (cc-by-nc)
Taken Apr 11, 2022 by Jérémi Dupin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 29, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 29, 2021 by Sarah Hart (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 29, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 7, 2022 by martinezcandela778 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 29, 2021 by Sarah Hart (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Nov 25, 2022 by Oliveira Vander (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 23, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Benjamin Suze (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 15, 2022 by Enzo Viero Baddo (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 23, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Benjamin Suze (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2022 by Macari Stefani (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Nov 7, 2020 by andersen julieta (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 28, 2022 by Jim Ridley (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 25, 2021 by Piaggio Juan (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 11, 2022 by Jérémi Dupin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 9, 2022 by Beverly Anderson (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Sep 25, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2703723)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:37001-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Bromus catharticus Vahl)
Specifications
Growth form: Bunch
Growth habit: Graminoid
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth
Ph maximum: 8.0
Ph minimum: 5.5
