Smooth brome (Bromus racemosus, Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 114 (1762))

Family: Poaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 114 (1762)

Year: 1762

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Bromus

Vegetable: False

Observations: Azores, Europe to W. & N. China

Description

Smooth brome, botanically known as Bromus racemosus, is a perennial grass species that belongs to the Poaceae family. First classified and described by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in the second edition of his renowned work “Species Plantarum” in 1762, this grass has been a subject of interest due to its widespread distribution and ecological significance.

Thriving in diverse environments, Smooth brome is predominantly found across regions stretching from the Azores and Europe all the way to western and northern parts of China. This extensive distribution highlights the plant’s adaptability to a variety of climatic and soil conditions, making it a robust species within the grass family.

Smooth brome features slender, fibrous stalks and branched, racemose inflorescences, which is reflected in its scientific epithet ‘racemosus’. The grass is known for its smooth texture, often distinguishing it from other brome grasses that may exhibit a rougher feel. Its leaves are typically long and narrow, contributing to its graceful appearance and utility in grazing and fodder.

This species is not only significant in natural ecosystems but also holds value in agriculture. It is commonly used for pasture and hay, providing a reliable food source for livestock. Additionally, Smooth brome plays a role in soil conservation, preventing erosion due to its extensive root system which helps to stabilize the soil.

Despite its hardy nature, the spread of Smooth brome can sometimes pose challenges in managed lands, where it may outcompete native flora and become invasive. As such, effective management and control measures are essential to maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance where this species proliferates.

Overall, Smooth brome is a noteworthy grass species that combines ecological resilience with agricultural utility, playing a vital role in the landscapes it inhabits.

Common Names

Eng: bald brome, smooth brome
Dan: eng-hejre
Deu: trauben-trespe, traubige trepse, traubige trespe
Fra: brome en grappe, brome à grappes
Nno: engfaks
Nob: engfaks
Swe: myllykattara, ängslosta, klaselosta
Fin: myllykattara
Nld: trosdravik
Lav: ķekarain
Cym: bromwellt llyfn, pawrwellt llyfn, porwellt llyfn
En: Smooth brome, Bald brome, Hairy brome, Meadow brome
Bg: Гроздовидна овсига
Zh: 总状雀麦
Cs: Sveřep hroznatý
Da: Eng-hejre
Nl: Trosdravik
Et: Kobarluste
Fi: Myllykattara
Fr: Brome en grappe, Brome à grappes
De: Traubige Trepse, Trauben-Trespe, Traubige Trespe
It: Forasacco palustre
Lv: Ķekarain
Nb: Engfaks
Nn: Engfaks
Pl: Stokłosa groniasta
Sv: Ängslosta, Myllykattara, Klaselosta
Cy: Pawrwellt llyfn, Bromwellt Llyfn, Porwellt Llyfn

Synonyms

• Bromus mollis var. leptostachys (Pers.)
• Bromus mollis var. glabrescens (Coss.)
• Bromus multiflorus (Roth)
• Bromus leptostachys ((Pers.) Steud.)
• Bromus agrarius (Hornung ex Steud.)
• Bromus racemosus var. subsecalinus (Parn.)
• Bromus racemosus var. major (Mutel)
• Bromus racemosus var. brachystachys (Schur)
• Bromus mollis f. leiostachys ((Hartm.) Fernald)
• Bromus decumbens var. racemosus ((L.) Petif)
• Bromus racemosus var. tenuis (Waisb.)
• Serrafalcus racemosus ((L.) Parl.)
• Bromus hordeaceus f. leiostachys ((Hartm.) Hyl.)
• Bromus squarrosus var. racemosus ((L.) Regel)
• Bromus racemosus var. pratorum (Schur)
• Serrafalcus velutinus (Parl.)
• Bromus mollis var. racemosus ((L.) Bab.)
• Bromus hordeaceus var. leptostachys ((Pers.) Beck)
• Serrafalcus racemosus var. villosus (Godr.)
• Bromus racemosus subsp. lusitanicus ((Sales & P.M.Sm.) H.Scholz & Spalton)
• Bromus racemosus var. submuticus (Čelak.)
• Bromus popovii (Drobow)
• Bromus supernovus (H.Scholz)
• Bromus hordeaceus var. racemosus ((L.) Fiori)
• Bromus racemosus f. pratorum ((Schur) Todor)
• Bromus racemosus var. brevisetus (N.H.F.Desp.)
• Bromus racemosus var. genuinus (Coss. & Durieu)
• Bromus racemosus var. monostachys (Godet)
• Bromus lusitanicus (Sales & P.M.Sm.)
• Bromus racemosus var. monostachyus (Godet)
• Bromus racemosus var. subpaniculatus (St.-Amans)
• Bromus racemosus var. laevis (Tinant)
• Bromus racemosus var. simplex (Sond.)
• Bromus mollis var. leiostachys (Hartm.)
• Bromus racemosus var. ramosus (Peterm.)
• Bromus arvensis var. racemosus ((L.) Neilr.)
• Bromus hordeaceus f. leptostachys ((Pers.) Wiegand)
• Bromus racemosus var. gracilis (Tinant)
• Bromus elongatus var. pubescens (Lej.)
• Bromus hordeaceus var. glabrescens ((Coss.) Shear)
• Bromus racemosus var. pratensis (Döll)
• Michelaria hirsuta (Davr.)
• Bromus arduennensis var. hirsutus ((Davr.) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Bromus tuzsonii (Pénzes)
• Bromus racemosus f. brachystachys ((Schur) Todor)
• Forasaccus racemosus ((L.) Bubani)
• Bromus mollis f. leptostachys ((Pers.) Neuman)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Baltic States (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Chile South (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Føroyar (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Iceland (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Northwest European R (introduced)
• Northwest Territorie (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• South Australia (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

Leaf

Taken Jun 7, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 16, 2020 by Schröder Bernd (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 25, 2021 by Artemisia Tonton (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2020 by Mathrey (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 28, 2019 by Chen QiMin (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Jun 25, 2008 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 1, 2019 by Gabriel Micoud (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 11, 2020 by Sylvie LERAY (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 17, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Claude CALAIS (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Jul 7, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 7, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 7, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 7, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 17, 2020 by Loreti Pietro (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Aug 15, 2000 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Aug 15, 2012 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Aug 15, 2002 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken May 17, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Claude CALAIS (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 17, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Claude CALAIS (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Dec 31, 1851 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 1853 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 1, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 1, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 1, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken May 3, 2021 by Pauline Collin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2021 by Gen raph (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2703764)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:394050-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Bromus racemosus L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Graminoid

Growth

Ph maximum: 6.5

Ph minimum: 5.5

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 8

Bloom months: [‘may’, ‘jun’, ‘jul’]

Soil nutriments: 6