Rescue grass (B. catharticus), a winter annual introduced from South America into the United States as a forage and pasture grass, and smooth brome (B. inermis), a perennial native to Eurasia and introduced into the northern United States as a forage plant and soil binder, are the economically important bromegrasses. The common weed chess (B. secalinus), sometimes known as cheat, is found along roadsides and in grain fields. Downy brome or cheatgrass (B. tectorum), ripgut grass (B. diandrus), and foxtail brome (B. rubens) are dangerous to grazing animals; spines on their spikelets or bracts puncture the animals' eyes, mouths, and intestines, leading to infection and possible death.