Kingdom Plantae Family Poaceae Scientific name Elymus glaucus Rank Species | Order Poales Genus Elymus Higher classification Elymus | |
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Similar Elymus, Grasses, Bromus carinatus, Nassella pulchra, Danthonia californica | ||
Elymus glaucus is a species of wild rye known by the common name blue wild rye. This grass is native to North America from Alaska to New York to northern Mexico. It is a common and widespread species of wild rye.
Description
This is a perennial bunch grass growing small, narrow tufts of several erect stems which exceed 50 cm in height and may approach 150 cm (up to 5'). It has a thick, fibrous root system, sometimes with rhizomes, the stems may form stolons. It has flat leaves each up to a centimeter wide at the base and rapidly narrowing to a point.
The tip of the stem is occupied by a narrow, pointed inflorescence many centimeters long made up of a few spikelets. Each spikelet is one to one and a half centimeters long, not counting an awn which may be two or three centimeters in length. Common native grass associates in the far west coastal prairies are Danthonia californica, Deschampsia caespitosa, Festuca idahoensis and Nassella pulchra.
