Bromus diandrus  Roth

Bromus rigidus

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Europe

Ripgut Grass

Common Ripgut Grass

                                              April Photo

 

Plant Characteristics: Annual, the culms 4-7 dm tall; sheaths and blades pilose, the latter 2-10 mm. wide; panicle open or rather compact, few fld., 6-12 cm. long, the lower branches mostly 1-2 cm. long; spikelets 3-4 cm. long, usually 5-7 fld.; glumes smooth, acuminate, the 1st 1-nerved, usually 16-20 mm. long, the 2nd, 3-nerved, 25-30 mm. long; lemmas 5-nerved, 25-30 mm. long, 2 toothed; awns stout, 3.5-5 cm. long.

 

Habitat: Common weed in waste places, fields, at low elves., cismontane and insular.  April-June.

 

Name: Bromos, ancient Greek name for the oat.  Greek, di, two or double and andros, male.  (Jaeger 18, 39, 80).  Thus, two male or twice masculine but the meaning and application escape me.  (John Johnson).

 

General: Common in the study area,  The photographs were taken at Big Canyon, the Castaway’s Bluffs and the area on the west side of the Delhi Channel.  I have a friend who walks his dogs every morning in the hills of La Canada.  One of the dogs became lame and was taken to a veterinarian.  The vet opened the paw of the dog between the toes but could not find anything even though he said there must be something in there.  Several weeks later, the dog, still a little lame, became worse; this time the vet opened the paw at the rear and removed a complete spikelet of ripgut grass.  It had traveled completely through the paw.  (my comments).      The mature seeds of ripgut grass are mechanically injurious to livestock.  (Robbins et al. 62).       Bromus species have been known to cause hay fever and asthma.  (Fuller 383).       The Miwok, Indians of central California used B. rigidus along with other seeds to make mush or porridge.  The seeds were harvested, pulverized in a mortar and cooked by stone boiling.  (Campbell 163).

 

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. I 235; Jepson 80; Hickman , Ed. 1242; Munz, Calif. Flora 1477; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 953; Roberts 45.

Photo Ref:  Jan 1 84 # 18,19.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by B. Hailey, F. Roberts.

 

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 97

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 9/18/02.

 

                                             January Photo