erect brome, Bromus erectus

Why grasses on a wildflower site? You won't see them in Peterson, or Audubon or all those wildflower manuals. So, perversely, that's one reason. There is a bit of a theme here to encourage appreciation of the small and different bits of nature that we so often pass by. It's so much more than just roses and daisies. And grasses, sedges, rushes and all the things that lack the typical bunch of showy petals are such an important part of our world. Erect brome started out as a Eurasian and North African plant, and is a relatively recent arrival here. In MIchigan, for example, the first specimen is from 1970. FNA notes that the species is established in the East, but not yet persistent where found in farther west. It has been reported from AL, CA, CT, ID, IL, KY, MA, ME, MI, NC, ND, NY, OH, OR, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WY, AB, MB, NS, ON, and QC. Lenawee Co MI, 6/16/14.