5. Elymus Condensatus Presl. Smooth Lyme-Grass

Fig. 704

Elymus condensatus Presl, Reliq. Haenk. 1: 265. 1830.

Culms 2°-10° tall, erect, simple, smooth and glabrous. Sheaths smooth and glabrous, the upper ones shorter than the internodes; ligule 2"-3 " long, truncate; blades 6'-1° long or more, 3"-12" wide, scabrous, at least above; spike 4'-15' in length, usually stout, strict, often interrupted below, sometimes compound at the base; spikelets 3-6-flowered, 2-several at each node of the rachis; empty scales awl-shaped, 4V-6" long, i-nerved, usually rough; flowering scales 4"-5" long, generally awn-pointed, usually rough, sometimes smooth.

In wet saline situations, Alberta to British Columbia, south to northwestern Nebraska, Arizona and California. Western or Giant Rye-grass. Bunch-grass. July-Aug.

6. Elymus Curvatus Piper. Short-Awned Wild Rye

Fig. 705

E. virginicus submuticus Hook, Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 255. 1840.

Elymus curvatus Piper, Bull. Torr. Club 30: 233. 1903.

Culms 2°-3° tall, smooth and glabrous; leaves glabrous; blades up to 10' long and 4" wide, flat and lax or sometimes stiff and involute; spike 2'-5' long, 3"-5" in diameter, usually long-exserted; spikelets 5"-6" long, glabrous, the empty scales broad, strongly nerved, manifestly indurated at the thickened curved base, muticous or more commonly short-awned, the awn less than quarter as long as the scale, the flowering scales muticous or short-awned as in the empty scales.

Low grounds, Saskatchewan to Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. July-Sept.

7. Elymus Jejunus (Ramaley) Rydb. Western Wild Rye

Fig. 706

Elymus virginicus jejunus Ramaley, Minn. Bot. Stud.

1: 114. 1894. Elymus jejunus Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 36: 539. 1909.

Culms 2°-4° tall, slender, smooth and glabrous; sheaths smooth and glabrous; blades rough, flat, up to 8' long and 5" wide; spikes 1 1/2-4' long, 5"-6" in diameter, on long slender peduncles; spikelets, exclusive of the awns, about 6" long, the empty scales indurated and somewhat curved at the base, glabrous, linear, strongly nerved, short-awned, the flowering scales hispidulous or almost glabrous, bearing an awn equalling or longer than themselves.

Along creeks and rivers in poor soil, Minnesota and North Dakota to Nebraska. July and Aug.

8. Elymus Halophilus Bicknell. Salt Marsh Wild Rye

Fig. 707

Elymus halophilus Bicknell, Bull. Torr. Club 35: 201. 1908.

Culms tufted, erect, rigid, 1 1/2°-2 1/2° tall; sheaths glabrous; blades up to 6' long and 2" wide, stiff, erect, rough, becoming involute when dry; spike erect, long-exserted, 1 1/2'- 4' long; empty scales 3 1/2."- 5" long, attenuate into a slender hispidulous awn, hispidulous on the prominent nerves, the flowering scales 3"-3 1/2," long, papillose, attenuate into a slender hispidulous awn.

Salt marshes, Massachusetts to Staten Island. Plant grey-green, glaucous. July-Sept.