Citation: M. Vahl., Symb. Bot. 2:22 (1791).

Synonymy: Ceratochloa cathartica (M. Vahl) Herter, Rev. Sudamer Bot. 6 (1940); Festuca unioloides Willd., Hort. Berol. 1:3 (1803); B. unioloides (Willd.) Kunth in Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen 1:151 (1816); C. unioloides (Willd.) P. Beauv., Agrost. 75 (1812); B. willdenowii Kunth, Revis. Gram. 134 (1829); B. , Bromus schraderi

Common name: Prairie grass, rescue grass.

Description:
Short-lived caespitose perennial with stems 40-100 cm; leaves to 10 mm wide, flat, slightly hairy; sheaths hairy; ligule membranous.

Panicle. to 350 mm, loose with spreading or nodding branches usually longer than the spikelets; spikelets lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 35-40 mm, very strongly compressed, with closely imbricate florets; glumes acuminate, lower 7-nerved, c. 10 mm, upper 9-nerved, to 12 mm; lemma coriaceous but with scarious margins, 9-13-nerved, 14-18 x 5-7 mm, broadly lanceolate, keeled, tip very shortly 2-fid; awn absent or short.

Published illustration: Burbidge (1970) Australian grasses 3:pl. 15; Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 71.

Distribution:  A weed of home gardens and waste places. Select forms of the species are sown for pasture in Australian States and overseas countries with warm and temperate climates. S.Aust.: LE, NU, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, SE.   All States except the N.T.   Native of South America but now widely distributed. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: variable, but mainly Sept. — Dec.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Specimens with awned lemmas have been given the name of Bromus stamineus Desv. in C. Gay, Hist. fis. pol. Chile (Flor. Chile) 6:440 (1854) use of the name being followed by J. H. Willis (1970), A handbook to plants in Victoria. However the single character is variable and spikelets without awns often occur on the same plant as those with awns of variable length.

Author: Not yet available