Bromus lithobius
Trin. Chilean BromeTufted perennial, culms erect, to 90 cm high. Leaves (at least the lower) softly hairy; lower sheath densely pubescent with retrorse hairs; blade flat or slightly folded, to 25 cm long and 12 mm wide, scabrous; ligule glabrous, truncate, 1–4 mm long. Inflorescence a loose panicle, to 25 cm long, branches usually remaining more or less erect. Spikelets rather loose, 4–9-flowered, oblong, 15–28 mm long; lower glume 5–7-nerved, 3.5–8 mm long, upper glume 7–9-nerved, 5.5–10 mm long, both glumes with velvety hairs; lemma 8.5–12 mm long, keeled, densely covered with short semi-appressed hairs; awn 3–8.5 mm long, hairy at base. Flowers mainly Dec.–Jan.
VVP, VRiv, GipP, WaP, Gold, CVU, NIS, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz. Also naturalised in Tas. Native to central and southern America. Apparently uncommon in Victoria. Most collections are from domestic gardens near Melbourne.
Synonymy follows Matthei (1986).
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
