Cheat

Bromus secalinus

Weed Description
A winter annual grass that can reach as much as 3.5 feet in height. Cheat is found in cultivated areas, agronomic crop fields (most notably wheat), pastures, roadsides, and waste areas. Native to Europe, cheat is also found in all of the continental United States.

Leaves
Leaves are rolled in the bud, measuring as much as 4 to 8 inches in length and 4.5 mm in width. Cheat is without auricles, and has a 2-3 mm toothed membranous ligule. Leaf hairs are variable on the upper surface, but lower leaf surfaces almost always contain hairs.

Stems
Erect stems that are seldomly bent at lower nodes. Stem nodes are distinctively thick with small hairs.

Flowers
Seedheads are panicles with individual spikelets. Seedheads are slightly droopy but more upright that downy brome. Individual spikelets have short awns.

Roots
Fibrous root system.

Identifying Characteristics
Cheat is similar in appearance to downy brome and hybridization between species can occur. However, the leaves of cheat are less hairy and spikelets have shorter awns than those of downy brome. In addition, the seedheads of cheat are more upright than downy brome which has a distinct "drooping" seedhead.

Office of Programs

University of Missouri

Cheat

Bromus secalinus