Bromus kalmii

Gray

Wild Chess

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155696
Element CodePMPOA150N0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusBromus
Synonyms
Bromus purgansL.
Other Common Names
Arctic Brome (EN) arctic brome (EN) Brome de Kalm (FR) Kalm's Brome (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
The name 'Bromus purgans' is a synonym of B. kalmii, however, the name B. purgans has been misapplied to B. latiglumis and B. pubescens.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-07
Change Date1986-02-19
Edition Date2025-07-07
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Bromus kalmii is a perennial grass that is found in prairies, meadows, and other open areas in the northeastern United States and southern Canada. With a broad range, more than 300 occurrences, and a preference for a wide range of habitats, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Bromus kalmii is native to southern Canada from Manitoba to Quebec, and the northeastern United States from North Dakota to Maine and south to Illinois and Virginia (FNA 2007). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Bromus kalmii is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Bromus kalmii grows in sandy, gravelly, or limestone soils in wet or dry prairie, sedge meadows, forest openings, willow thickets, bluffs, sand dunes, open woods calcareous fens, and the occasional roadside (FNA 2007, Chayka 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - MixedSavannaGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
Bog/fen
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
District of ColumbiaSHYes
VirginiaS1Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OhioS2Yes
VermontS2Yes
MassachusettsS4Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
IllinoisS2Yes
IndianaS3Yes
MarylandSHYes
New JerseyS2Yes
MichiganSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
New YorkS4Yes
IowaS3Yes
North DakotaS3Yes
New HampshireSHYes
PennsylvaniaS2Yes
MaineS1Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
ManitobaS2Yes
OntarioS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
References (7)
  1. Chayka, K. 2025. Minnesota Wildflowers. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).