Big mountain bromes are here considered to include three prominent bromes 

 that are closely related and very similar in appearance, growth habits, and 

 forage value. Of these three, big brome is very widely distributed in the 

 range States but is particularly prevalent in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon ; 

 polyanthus brome prospers throughout the Rocky Mountains from Montana to 

 Arizona and New Mexico ; and California brome abounds on the Pacific slope, 

 and is also at home in Montana, Arizona, and the Southwest ; it is strikingly 

 absent from the central Rocky Mountains. All three species grow in canyons, 

 on grassy hillsides, and in the higher mountains at elevations up to 10,000 

 feet, although, on the Pacific Coast, California brome grows as low as 2,000 

 feet. They are common in the spruce and aspen zones and on the Pacific 

 slope, and thrive well in the ponderosa pine type. They prefer rich, deep, 

 moderately moist soil, but will also grow on rather poor, depleted soil, and 

 fairly dry sites. They avoid dense shade. Ordinarily these three grasses grow 

 in scattered bunches, but occasionally, as in the case of polyanthus brome 

 in some localities, in the aspen zone of central and northern Utah, they make 

 a fairly dense stand over large areas. 



These robust, moderately coarse-stemmed short-lived, perennial bunchgrasses 

 grow 1 to 4 feet high, or even higher under very favorable conditions. Their 

 numerous rough leaves are about 6 to 12 or more inches long and one-fourth 

 to three-eighths of an inch wide. The seed head (inflorescence) is ordinarily 

 4 to 9 inches long, with the groups (spikelets) of little flowers (florets) borne 

 on erect (or ascending) branches. 



These species rate among the best forage grasses on the western ranges. 

 A deep, fibrous, spreading root system makes them fairly resistant to graz- 

 ing and drought. The large leafy plants yield an abundance of forage which 

 is relished by all classes of livestock during the growing season. At ma- 

 turity the herbage becomes somewhat harsh and fibrous, especially in the 

 case of California brome, and is then less palatable, particularly to sheep. 

 Horses and sheep relish the nutritious seed heads. Lambs fatten rapidly 

 and economically when an abundance of such seed heads is accessible. When 

 grazed off early in the season these species produce a good aftermath of 

 foliage that is devoured with relish even late in the autumn. 



These three bromes depend on seed to reproduce, although the clumps stool 

 out somewhat. Under proper management and normal growth conditions 

 an abundance of good seed is produced and the range is adequately reseeded. 

 Sometimes a smut (Ustilaffo ~bromivom) attacks the seed heads, but ordinarily 

 it is not a serious menace on the ranges. Seeds of these species gathered on 

 the ranges or grown in small mountain nurseries have been used with success 

 in artificial reseeding. 2 As soon as a more adequate seed supply can be obtained 

 a much wider use of these bromes for reseeding depleted mountain ranges 

 should ensue. The big mountain bromes have been used to a limited extent in 

 hay meadows and have yielded as high as 2 tons per acre on good soils. 



Important technical characteristics identifying big mountain bromes include 

 the spikelets 1 to 1% inches long with 5 to 11 florets each about one-half inch 

 long. The lower of the two glumes (bracts at the base of the spikelets) is 

 about one-fourth and the upper about three-eighths inch long. The lemma 

 (outer seed husk) has 7 to 9 nerves (veins). 



The most salient characters distinguishing these three species from other 

 perennial bromes (except B. subvelutmus which is easily recognizable by its 

 hoary leaf blades covered with fine grayish-white hairs) are: Spikelets prom- 

 inently flattened even when immature, the small awn (beard) about one- 

 eighth to three-eighths inch long on the lemma, and the sharp ridging or 

 keeling of the top of the lemma. California brome and big brome have fine 

 hairs on the lemma, at least toward the top, and on the leaf sheaths and 

 joints of the stems, whereas polyanthus brome is lacking in such hairs. 

 California brome has a little longer awn than big brorne, its inflorescence tends 

 to be slightly more spreading and drooping, its foliage is often more harsh 

 and hairy, and its leaf-blades tend to be narrower. 



1 Since this manuscript went to press, Hitchcock's "Manual of the Grasses of the United 

 States" has appeared, raising serious question as to the specific validity of Bromun 

 marginatus and B. polyanthus. There is now general agreement in the Forest Service to 

 use the 1 name "mountain brome" for Bromus carinatvs, considering B. marginatus and 

 B. polyanthus as synonyms. 



2 Porsling, C. L., and Dayton, W. A. ARTIFICIAL KESEEDING ON WESTEKN MOUNTAIN 

 RANGE LANDS. U. S. Dept. Agr. Circ. 178, 48 pp., illus. 1931. 



