Slender False Brome () Overview: Habitat: Slender false brome is a Slender false brome is highly invasive bunch grass found in open native to and North and forest understories. It . It grows up to 2.5 ft. grows in habitats ranging tall, has a graceful, nodding from full sun to full shade, form and bright green color disturbed or undisturbed that it retains into the fall. It and is common along hiking rapidly reproduces from and deer trails. This species seed to form dense seems to prefer soils that monocultures, and is not Photo credit WNY PRISM. are not extremely wet or rhizomatous. extremely dry. Identification: Stems: The lower stem and nodes are covered in tiny hairs. Leaves: Floppy, flat leaves arch out from the . Leaves are 5-12 mm wide with hairy leaf margins. The leaf sheath is open at the top and hairy. Flowers: This plant has a drooping inflorescence. The spikelets are arranged in a true spike because they have no stalk at the base. The flowers have long awns that are 7-15 mm. Slender false brome begins flowering in July and mature spikelets can be seen into the fall.

Leaf sheath Node Long Awns

Hairy lower stems and nodes. Hairy leaf sheath and hairy leaf margin. Spikelets with long awned flowers. Comparison to similar species:

Slender False Brome Bearded Shorthusk Hairy Woodland Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) ( erectum) (Bromus pubescens) Flat leaves 5-12 mm wide. Leaves are Flat leaves 11-17 mm wide. Hairs Flat or slightly rolled leaves 6-15 mm sparsely hairy on both sides. Leaf present on lower surface of leaf. Leaf wide. Leaves can be hairy or hairless. sheath margin is not overlapping at sheath margin is not overlapping at Leaf sheath margin is overlapping at the top, and is hairy. the top, and is hairy. the top, and is hairy.

Photo credit WNY PRISM. Photo credit Keir Morse. Photo credit Peter M. Dzuik. www.minnesotawildflowers.info Photo credit Photo credit G. D. Bebeau. calphotos.berkeley.edu www.illinoiswildflowers.info www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org Spikelets have no stalk with 6-16 Spikelets are short-stalked with Spikelets are long-stalked with 5-10 florets per spike. Awns 7-15 mm. one floret per spikelet. Awns13-20 florets per spikelet. Awns 3-8 mm. Flowers July to August. mm. Flowers June to August. Flowers May to July.

Photo credit WNY PRISM. Photo credit Keir Morse. Photo credit Peter M. Dzuik. www.minnesotawildflowers.info Photo credit G. D. Bebeau. Photo credit calphotos.berkeley.edu www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org www.illinoiswildflowers.info