| Elymus elymoides | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Elymus |
| Species: | E. elymoides |
| Binomial name | |
| Elymus elymoides | |
| Synonyms | |
Sitanion hystrix | |
Elymus elymoides is a species of wild rye known by the common name squirreltail. This grass is native to central and western North America.
Elymus elymoides is a perennial bunch grass growing to around 0.5 metres (1+1⁄2 feet) in height. Its erect solid stems have flat or rolled leaf blades. The inflorescence is up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) long and somewhat stiff and erect, with spikelets 1 or 2 cm long not counting the awn, which may be 9 cm (3+1⁄2 in) long and sticks straight out at maturity, making the inflorescence look like a bottlebrush, and aiding wind dispersal of the seeds. In contrast, the early season spike is compact and reddish. [2]
Subspecies include:
The species is native to most of North America west of the Mississippi River and occurs in a number of ecosystems, from the alpine zone to desert sage scrub to valley grassland.
This grass is considered very good forage for sheep. It is best for grazing during the winter, when it is small and green. It becomes less palatable to livestock when its awns grow long and sharp at maturity.
Evolving 55 million years ago, members of Poaceae produce wheat, rice, and barley cereal grains. Elymus elymoides is a specific type of wild rye that experiences competitive forces when introduced to invasive species, such as cheat grass (Bromus tectorum). E. elymoides experiences a decrease in fitness when growing concurrently with B. tectorum, leading to natural selection acting negatively on E. elymoides. This is perhaps best seen in the Great Basin, as the dry environment makes water a limiting resource, resulting in competition over it. B. tectorum's advantages may be due to its ability to re-engineer that particular ecosystem's scarce water supply. [3] B. tectorum affects E. multisetus similarly, indicating that the trait causing decreased fitness is shared among the entire genus Elymus. [4]
Competition also occurs between E. elymoides and the invasive crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum). When introduced, crested wheatgrass negatively affects mature E. elymoides, despite being able to effectively compete at the seedling stage. [5] [ verification needed ]
The genus Elymus is a part of the Poaceae, the grass family, which is the most economically important plant family to modern human civilization.
If crested wheatgrass is used in rehabilitation or restoration of a site, then co-planting a native bunch grass, such as E. elymoides, may be helpful in preventing a crested wheatgrass monoculture. Because E. elymoides populations decline when introduced to certain populations, squirreltail may benefit more from a monoculture setting. [5] This characteristic is supported by another species, Elymus nutas. However, although it is successful as a monoculture food source, it results in a reduction of carbon transfer and decreased soil health when grown alone. [6] To preserve a prosperous Elymus elymoides food source, one must take into consideration its effects on the soil when grown alone, and its responses to competitive forces if grown with other plants.
Bromus tectorum, known as downy brome, drooping brome or cheatgrass, is a winter annual grass native to Europe, southwestern Asia, and northern Africa, but has become invasive in many other areas. It now is present in most of Europe, southern Russia, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, North America and western Central Asia. In the eastern US B. tectorum is common along roadsides and as a crop weed, but usually does not dominate an ecosystem. It has become a dominant species in the Intermountain West and parts of Canada, and displays especially invasive behavior in the sagebrush steppe ecosystems where it has been listed as noxious weed. B. tectorum often enters the site in an area that has been disturbed, and then quickly expands into the surrounding area through its rapid growth and prolific seed production.
Bromus is a large genus of grasses, classified in its own tribe Bromeae. They are commonly known as bromes, brome grasses, cheat grasses or chess grasses. Estimates in the scientific literature of the number of species have ranged from 100 to 400, but plant taxonomists currently recognize around 160–170 species.
Agropyron is a genus of Eurasian plants in the grass family), native to Europe and Asia but widely naturalized in North America.
Lolium perenne, common name perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass, winter ryegrass, or ray grass, is a grass from the family Poaceae. It is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa, but is widely cultivated and naturalised around the world.
Hordeum jubatum, with common names foxtail barley, bobtail barley, squirreltail barley, and intermediate barley, is a perennial plant species in the grass family Poaceae. It occurs wild mainly in northern North America and adjacent northeastern Siberia. However, as it escaped often from gardens it can be found worldwide in areas with temperate to warm climates, and is considered a weed in many countries. The species is a polyploid and originated via hybridization of an East Asian Hordeum species with a close but extinct relative of Californian H. brachyantherum. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive inflorescences and when done flowering for its inflorescence.
Agropyron cristatum, the crested wheat grass, crested wheatgrass, fairway crested wheat grass, is a species in the family Poaceae. This plant is often used as forage and erosion control. It is well known as a widespread introduced species on the prairies of the United States and Canada.
Agropyron desertorum is a plant species in the family Poaceae which was originally from Russian and Siberian steppes until it was introduced to the United States from there between 1907 and 1913. Prior to its introduction it was believed that Desert wheatgrass and crested wheatgrass are different species. Currently it can still be found in Central and Western United States, except for Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Pseudoroegneria spicata is a species of perennial bunchgrass known by the common name bluebunch wheatgrass. It is native to western North America.
Elymus multisetus is a species of wild rye known by the common name big squirreltail.
Elymus scribneri is a species of wild rye known by the common names spreading wheatgrass and Scribner's wheatgrass. It is native to much of the western United States and parts of central Canada where it grows in several types of habitat including alpine mountain peaks.
Elymus stebbinsii is a species of wild rye known by the common name Parish wheatgrass. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the forests and chaparral of many of the coastal and inland mountain ranges. It is a perennial grass growing up to 1.2 meters tall. The inflorescence is a narrow, linear series of single-spikelet nodes up to 25 centimeters long. Each spikelet is up to 2 centimeters long with a short awn of just a few millimeters.
Elymus trachycaulus is a species of wild rye known by the common name slender wheatgrass. It is native to much of North America. It grows in widely varied habitats from northern Canada to Mexico, but is absent from most of the southeastern United States.
Elymus virginicus, or Virginia wildrye, is a perennial bunchgrass located in Virginia and the eastern United States. Virginia wild rye is one of the few cool season native grasses found in the east Texas area. It is extremely palatable to livestock and will decrease without proper grazing management. It spreads via seed and tillering. It can be confused with Canadian wild rye which is a more robust plant with longer awns. It should be cut early in the season when used for hay to avoid ergot contamination. Northern Missouri Germplasm Virginia wild rye was released in 1999 by the Missouri Plant Material Center for use in northern Missouri.
Leymus cinereus is a species of wild rye known by the common names basin wild rye, Great Basin wild rye, and Great Basin lyme grass. It is common in western North America.
Taeniatherum is a genus of Eurasian and North African plants in the grass family.
Elymus lanceolatus is a species of grass known by the common names thickspike wheatgrass and streamside wheatgrass. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and abundant in much of Canada and the western and central United States. There are two subspecies, subsp. lanceolatus occurring throughout the species' range and subsp. psammophilus occurring in the Great Lakes region.
Elymus hoffmannii is a species of grass known by the common name RS wheatgrass. It was described as a new species in 1996. It became known to science when some grasses were collected in Turkey in 1979 and one type was successfully bred out, proving to be a natural hybrid. E. hoffmannii is derived from this hybrid between Elymus repens and the bluebunch wheatgrasses of Turkey, such as Pseudoroegneria spicata.
Elymus wawawaiensis is a species of grass known by the common name Snake River wheatgrass. It is native to western North America, where it occurs in the Pacific Northwest. It is native to eastern Washington and Oregon and parts of Idaho.
Elymus caninus, the bearded couch or bearded wheatgrass, is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae that is native to Europe including the UK but can be found introduced in the US states of Oregon and Washington. E. caninus has been observed in two morphotypes; the first population being "pauciflorum," with the second being "caninus."
Media related to Elymus elymoides at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Elymus elymoides at Wikispecies