Downy Brome

Scientific name: Bromus tectorum L.

Common names: Downy brome, bronco grass, downy chess, drooping brome, June grass, early chess, military chess, cheatgrass

Native To: Eurasia

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1800s

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Introduced accidentally through contaminated shipments

Impact: Crowds out native grasses; creates wildfire hazards

Current U.S. Distribution:

• PLANTS Database map (see complete PLANTS Profile for county distribution and native status)
• Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (county distribution for Southeastern States)

States Where Reported Invasive: WeedUS Database map

Management Plans: Plants

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Bromus tectorum
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Bromus tectorum L. (Cheatgrass) - Noxious and Nuisance Plant Management Information System (PMIS)
United States Army Corps of Engineers. Engineer Research and Development Center. Environmental Laboratory.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Downy Brome Research - TEKTRAN database
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Research

Bromus tectorum Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Bromus tectorum - Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program.
Taxonomy; Legal Aspects

Cheatgrass - Weed of the Week (May 2, 2005; PDF | 164 KB)
USDA. FS. Northeastern Area. Forest Health Protection. Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Bromus tectorum - Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
USDA. Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Plant Profile for Bromus tectorum - PLANTS Database
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
Taxonomy; Photographs; Illustrations; Distribution; Legal Aspects; Special Note: Plant Guide (PDF | 286 KB)

What About Cheatgrass?
DOE. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts

Bromus tectorum - An Assessment of Exotic Plant Species of Rocky Mountain National Park
DOI. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Bromus tectorum - Species Abstracts of Highly Disruptive Exotic Plants at at Scotts Bluff National Monument (Nebraska)
DOI. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
Taxonomy; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Downy Brome (Cheatgrass) - Best Management Practices Weed Profile (PDF | 214 KB)
Colorado State Parks.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Downy Brome
State of Colorado. Larimer County. Weed Control District.
Identification/Description; Photographs

Cheatgrass - Invasive Plant Species of Alaska (PDF | 119 KB) (PDF | 48 KB)
University of Alaska - Anchorage. Alaska Natural Heritage Program.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Bromus tectorum - Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
University of Connecticut. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Cheatgrass
Montana State University Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Controls

Downy Brome Control
University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Distribution; Controls

A Homeowner's Guide to Cheatgrass (PDF | 126 KB)
University of Nevada - Reno. Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Controls

Downy Brome (Oct 1994)
Oregon State University Extension and Experiment Station.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Life Cycle; Controls

Cheatgrass - Range Plants of Utah
Utah State University. Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Controls

Downy Brome - Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science.
Identification/Description; Photographs

Control Options for Downy Brome on Prairie Reclamation Sites
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Canada).
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Dispersion; Controls

Cheatgrass - Guide to Weeds in British Columbia
British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries (Canada).
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Downy Brome - Weed Identification Guide
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization (Canada).
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Controls

Management of Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum) in Native Grasslands (PDF | 307 KB)
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (Canada).
Identification/Description; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Bromus tectorum (grass) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Bromus tectorum - Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands Book (2000)
California Invasive Plant Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Cheatgrass
Colorado Weed Management Association.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion

Bromus tectorum
Discover Life.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Cheatgrass
Invasive.org.
Special Note: Resources

Bromus tectorum (Cheatgrass, Downy Brome)
Nature Conservancy. Global Invasive Species Initiative.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: Element Stewardship Abstract with excellent set of references

Bromus tectorum - Comprehensive Report
NatureServe Explorer.
Taxonomy; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Special Note: References

Bromus tectorum
Pulling Together Initiative. Texasinvasives.org.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: References