poverty brome, Bromus sterilis, April-June, Europe

Poverty brome can be confused for a small form of ripgut. Distinguising characteristics include the very long inflorescence branches relative to spikelet length, usually with one spikelet per branch. The spikelets are smaller than those of ripgut, the grass overall finer, and branches and spikelets less scabrous. The awn length can overlap the shortest range of ripgut lemma awns. At Jasper Ridge it is found in partial shade, is seldom dominant, and seldom is found in open grassland, where ripgut can dominate.