Barren Brome - Anisantha sterilis

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Description

One of the commonest weedy grasses that can reach 80 cm. The panicle is very loose and drooping with rough branches which are much longer than their spikelet. Spikelets are compressed, V shaped with long awns and usually turn purplish when ripe.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

The panicle is branched. Each branch bears only one spikelet. Each spikelet is shorter than its stalk (peduncle) with three or more florets clearly projecting beyond the glumes. The spikelets are compressed and awned.

Habitat

Dry hedgebanks, waste ground and roadsides.

When to see it

May to July.

Life History

Annual.

UK Status

Common throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 530 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Graham Calow
    Higham on the Hill
    11 June 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Wirlybones Wood, Ratby
    10 June 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    08 July 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    22 May 2015
  • Steve Mathers
    River Soar and GUC (Sileby Mill to Mountsorrel)
    02 June 2017
  • Steve Mathers
    River Soar W bank (Kegworth to Ratcliffe)
    15 June 2017
    ripe

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Barren Brome
Species group:
Grasses, Rushes & Sedges
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Poales
Family:
Poaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
152
First record:
30/04/2008 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
30/10/2024 (Smith, Peter)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Stanton Road, Elmesthorpe
    27 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Leicester Road Quarry, Sapcote
    30 April 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    26 May 2014
  • Alan Semper
    Harby Nature Rerserve
    05 June 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Harby Nature Rerserve
    05 June 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    04 June 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Leicester Garden
    04 June 2012
  • Steve Mathers
    River Soar and GUC (Sileby Mill to Mountsorrel)
    02 June 2017