common soft brome

The plant is pubescent entirely and lacks rhizomes. It can grow 7–110 cm (3–43 in) high, sometimes in tufts, sometimes singly. The smooth, yellowish brown culms measure 0.5–5 mm (0.02–0.20 in) wide at their base, and are minutely to densely pubescent, with hairs measuring up to 0.6 mm (0.02 in) long. The moderately to densely pilose leaf sheaths are mostly closed, with hairs 1.2 mm (0.047 in) long. The plant lacks auricles. The membraneous and erose ligules are 1–2.6 mm (0.04–0.10 in) long and are glabrous or pubescent. The grey-green leaf blades are 2.2–18 cm (0.9–7.1 in) long and 1–5.3 mm (0.04–0.21 in) wide, with a pubescent adaxial surface and an abaxial surface pubescent with hairs about one quarter the length of those on the adaxial surface. The leaf margins are smooth or serrated. The grey-green to purple panicles are 2.5–14 cm (1.0–5.5 in) long and 1–4 cm (0.39–1.57 in) wide. The panicles can be dense or reduced to just one spikelet. The erect to ascending or lax branches of the panicle are scabrous or pubescent, each branch bearing one spikelet. The ovate-lanceolate spikelets are 1.7–3 cm (0.67–1.18 in), including the awns 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long. The rachillae can be visible when the spikelet is mature and the spikelet has six to eleven florets. The subequal glumes are minutely to densely pubescent and the keels are serrated. …

Bromus hordeaceus is native to the Mediterranean basin, and is now widely distributed across North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. It grows in waste areas, road verges, fields, grassy plains, and sandy beaches. The grass prefers drained or dry soils consisting of clay loam or sand, especially areas tending to be less fertile. The plant is resistant to drought and temperature variations.