Species: Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides (Raf.) Swezey

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Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides (Raf.) Swezey

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Elymus

Species Synonyms:

Elymus sitanion J.A. Schultes
Sitanion elymoides Raf.
Sitanion hystrix (Nutt.) J.G. Sm.

Common Names:

squirreltail
western bottlebrush grass
bottlebrush squirreltail

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southern British Columbia – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Empress – Val Marie

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland, Cypress Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry, eroded, clay banks and benches

Associated species:

Artemisia longifolia, Erigeron caespitosus, Hesperostipa comata

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

Vulnerable

COSEWIC Status:

None

Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides is threatened because of rarity in Saskatchewan. It is regionally restricted to one general region of the province and is almost always locally sparse. Possible threats have been identified for this species..

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 50

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

caespitose, hollow, erect or spreading, smooth

Leaves:

blades flat to involute, 1 – 4 mm wide, ridged above, adaxial surface scabrous, abaxial surface glabrous to puberulent; sheaths glabrous to pubescent, upper often inflated; ligule membranous, 0.1 – 0.5 mm long, truncate; auricles present

Inflorescence:

spikes 2 – 15 cm long (including awns), green or purplish; spikelets 2 per node, on alternating sides at each node; rachis disarticulating at maturity

Spikelets:

2 – 3-flowered

Florets:

glumes subulate, very narrow, 1 – 2-nerved; glume awn 5 – 9 cm long, scabrous, divergent at maturity; lemma scabrous to puberulent, 5-nerved, awned from the tip; lemma awns 1 – 3, widely spreading scabrous; palea nearly equal to the lemma

Fruits:

caryopsis

ELYMUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Spikelets 2 or 3 at each rachis node, 1 – 6-flowered; lemmas obscurely 5-nerved	2
1 Spikelets solitary at each rachis node, each spikelet with at least 2 florets; lemmas 5 – 7-nerved	8

2 Glumes, if present, setaceous, divided to base into 2 divergent awns; spike rachis readily disarticulating; plants mostly 10 – 50 cm tall	E. elymoides ssp. elymoides
2 Glumes setaceous or not; spike rachis not readily disarticulating; plants mostly taller than 50 cm	3

3 Glume margins membranous, not nerved; lemmas glabrous to scabrous	E. glaucus ssp. glaucus
3 Glume margins thickened, hard, and nerved; lemmas densely pubescent	4

4 Glumes setaceous, reduced, or absent, usually < 6 mm long (excluding awn) and 0.5 mm wide	E. diversiglumis
4 Glumes linear, usually at least 1 cm long (excluding awn) and 1 – 2 mm wide	5

5 Glumes shorter than lemma body; lemma awns divergent at maturity; base of glume flattened	6
5 Glumes equal to or longer than lemma body; lemma awns straight at maturity; base of glume terete or bowed	7

6 Leaves firm, adaxially glabrous or scabrous; spikes arching; palea to 1.1 cm long	E. canadensis var. canadensis
6 Leaves thin, adaxially pilose; spike pendulous; palea to 1.5 cm long	E. canadensis var. wiegandii

7 Glumes and lemmas long-awned (to 1.5 cm)	E. virginicus var. virginicus
7 Glumes and lemmas mucronate to short-awned (< 2 mm)	E. virginicus var. submuticus

8 Rhizomes short or absent; florets disarticulating above the glumes; anthers 1.5 – 2 mm long	9
8 Rhizomes long and creeping; florets disarticulating below the glumes; anthers 3 – 7 mm long	10

9 Awns equal to or longer than lemma	E. trachycaulus ssp. subsecundus
9 Awns absent or much shorter than lemma	E. trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus

10 Leaves flat, 4 – 8 mm wide, green; lemmas glabrous or nearly so	E. repens
10 Leaves involute, 1 – 3 mm wide, glaucous; lemmas usually pubescent	11

11 Glumes 2 – 3-nerved; lemmas long-awned	E. albicans
11 Glumes 3 – 5-nerved; lemmas awnless	12

12 Spikes to 25 cm long; rachis pubescent below spikelets; glumes conspicuously 5-nerved; lemmas densely villous	E. lanceolatus ssp. psammophilus
12 Spikes to 15 cm long; rachis glabrous below spikelets; glumes 3-nerved, only the midvein conspicuous; lemmas glabrous or villous	13

13 Lemmas glabrous or scabrous	E. lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus var. riparium
13 Lemmas villous	E. lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus var. lanceolatus

*Elymus hybrids occur naturally in Saskatchewan. E. X maltei (E. canadensis x E.virginicus ) and E. X pseudorepens (E. trachycaulus x E. lanceolatus) are examples.