Bromus inermis subsp. inermis Leyss. Smooth Brome Habit: Perennial from creeping rhizomes, sod forming. Culms: 50-110 cm. tall. Blades: Smooth or nearly so, 15-25 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, finely pubescent as a seedling. Sheaths: Glabrous (except as a seedling), the lower sheaths overlapping. Ligule: Membranous, 0.5-2 mm long. Inflorescence: Terminal panicle 10-20 cm. long, erect, the branches whorled, moderately spreading in flower, contracted at maturity. Spikelets: 2-4 cm. long, 4-5 mm. wide; usually large, often dropping, 4 to 10-flowered, subterete before flowering. Glumes: 2, awnless, membranous, persistent, narrow, unequal, acute, first 5-8 mm. long and usually 1-nerved, second 6-10 mm. long and usually 3-nerved. Lemmas: The lowest 9-12 mm. long, obtuse, emarginate, typically glabrous, rounded or slightly keeled on the back, 5-9-nerved, mucronate, or with an awn 1-2 mm. long. Palea: Shorter than the lemma, 2-keeled. Caryopsis: Furrowed, adhering to the palea. Habitat: Planted as a pasture grass, often used in roadside plantings. Growth Period: Begins growth in early spring, flowers in late May to mid July, and has a second growth period in the fall. Kansas Range: Eastern half.