Description ⁵

Smooth brome is an important agricultural plant. It is a primary component of most hay productions. It is a persistent, nutritious hardy species that spreads through creeping rhizomes and by seed. It is known to invade undisturbed sites. Its hardiness and ability to suppress all other species by forming a thick mat of rhizomes has made it desirable for highway reconstruction projects in the past. Though not considered noxious, this species limits habitat for native species.

Range in Yukon ⁵

Reported from every community except Old Crow; it is found along most Yukon highways and around old settlements far from roads or rivers.

Similar Species ⁵

Pumpelly’s brome (Bromus pumpellianus) is the native cousin of smooth brome, sometimes considered a subspecies. It has hairy flower bracts or seed casings (lemmas), unlike the hairless casings that give smooth brome its name. It is widespread throughout Yukon

Ecological Impact ⁵

Smooth brome forms a dense sod that smothers and excludes native species decreasing natural biodiversity. Smooth brome inhibits natural succession.

Control ⁵

Once planted is difficult to remove. Mechanical treatment or herbicides may be required.

For more information visit: Yukon Invasive Species Council

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Hörður Kristinsson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/30548850@N08/4840475673
2. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/PhotosMedium/JCS%20Bromus%20inermis%2019197.jpg
3. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.biopix.com/PhotosMedium/JCS%20Bromus%20inermis%2019259.jpg
4. 2006 Nick Kurzenko, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=198475&one=T
5. (c) L.G. Johanson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNaturalist.ca taxon page
• African Plants - a photo guide
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
• CalPhotos
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Jepson eFlora
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• OregonFlora.org
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム
• 植物和名−学名インデックス YList

Range Map

(c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

iNaturalist.ca Map