Bromus

Bromus is a genus of grasses, family Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, comprising roughly 160 to 170 species recognized by plant taxonomists, commonly called bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses or chess grasses, found across temperate regions worldwide including Africa, the Americas, Australia and Eurasia. Members are distinguished by leaf sheaths that are closed, connate, for most of their length, awns usually inserted subapically, and hairy appendages on the ovary; the inflorescence typically forms a dense or open panicle, usually drooping or nodding, and leaves may be hairless, sparsely hairy or hairy. The genus is closely related to the economically important wheatgrass lineage that includes wheat, barley and rye, though most Bromus species themselves have little economic value, with some used for erosion control or forage and others considered invasive weeds.