Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus vulpinus Rydb.

First published in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 36: 540 (1909)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Montana, Nebraska. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 50-75 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10-12 cm long; 2-4 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 10-15 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 1 their length apart. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip flat. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 10-13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 10-13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 5-7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5-1 mm long. Upper glume elliptic; 5-7 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5-1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 7 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 5-10 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: northwest USA and north-central .
Reference
Triticeae. Man US Gr 1994.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0