June grass

Bromus tectorum

Family: Poaceae Genus: Bromus Species: tectorum

Synonyms: Bromus tectorum var. rubens, Bromus tectorum subsp. glabratum, Bromus tectorum var. umbrosus, Anisantha pontica, Bromus tectorum f. coloratus, Anisantha tectorum var. hirsuta, Bromus australis, Genea tectorum, Bromus tectorum var. nudus, Bromus tectorum var. ponticus, Bromus tectorum var. triflorus, Bromus tectorum subsp. longipilus, Bromus longipilus, Bromus tectorum var. pauciflorus, Bromus tectorum var. robustus, Bromus sterilis f. ponticus, Bromus tectorum var. glaber, Bromus tectorum var. purpurascens, Bromus tectorum var. oligostachys, Bromus tectorum var. genuinus, Bromus tectorum var. spiralis, Bromus tectorum var. anisantha, Bromus tectorum var. scabriflorus, Bromus sterilis var. nudus, Bromus tectorum f. nudus, Bromus tectorum var. longipilus, Bromus sterilis, Zerna tectorum, Bromus abortiflorus, Bromus tectorum var. rubescentus, Bromus scabriflorus, Bromus tectorum var. virens, Bromus avenaceus, Bromus tectorum var. sirjaevii, Bromus tectorum var. genevensis, Schedonorus tectorum, Bromus tectorum var. abortiflorus, Bromus tectorum subsp. nudus, Bromus tectorius, Bromus lateripronus, Bromus tectorum var. velutinus, Bromus tectorum subsp. abortiflorus, Bromus sterilis var. tectorum, Bromus tectorum var. glabratus, Anisantha tectorum, Bromus tectorum var. australis, Festuca tectorum, Bromus mairei, Bromus tectorum var. hirsutus, Bromus nutans, Bromus tectorum var. floridus, Bromus tectorum f. glabratus, Bromus tectorum var. pubescens, Bromus tectorum var. villosus, Bromus setaceus

June grass (en)

Gallery

Botanical Description

Bromus tectorum, commonly called cheatgrass, downy brome or June grass, is a winter annual grass in the family Poaceae. It germinates in autumn, overwinters as a small rosette of softly hairy leaves, then sends up smooth, slender flowering culms 40–90 cm tall in spring, though stressed plants as little as 2.5 cm tall may still set seed. The leaf blades and sheaths are densely covered with fine hairs, while the drooping, one-sided panicle bears about thirty long-awned spikelets, each containing five to eight florets that turn purplish then straw-coloured at maturity. Native to Europe, southwestern Asia and northern Africa, it now occupies a vast introduced range in semi-arid western North America, where it favours disturbed, coarse-textured, nitrogen-poor soils in the 150–560 mm precipitation zone. It is widely regarded as a problematic invader that alters fire regimes across the Great Basin and Intermountain West.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, China North-Central, China South-Central, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, East Himalaya, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Inner Mongolia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Kuwait, Lebanon-Syria, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Northwest European R, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qinghai, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russi, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

Documented Native American uses include:

Cahuilla — used as a starvation food (Bean & Saubel, 1972).

Navajo, Kayenta — used as a ceremonial medicine (Wyman & Harris, 1951).

Paiute — the plant was used as fiber for mats, rugs and bedding (Mahar, 1953).

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID

226059

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

Back to Herb Database