lOlS] Thk Grasses of Illinois 415 



Elymus canadensis L. 



Nodding Wild Rye (Fig. 280) 



Lapham '57, 547, 588 (Plate 3, Fig. 10); Babcock '7;!, 97; Paitorson '7(), 

 51; Flagg '78, 283; Brendel '87, 64; Higley and Eaddin '1)1, 147; Iluctt '!)V, 

 131; Glcason '10, 149; Gates '12, 355. 



Culms stout, 2 to 5 feet tall; sheaths smooth; blades 4 to 12 inches 

 long, 2 to 20 mm. wide, rough ; spike 2 to 8 inches long, usually thick 

 and densely flowered; glumes about parallel at base, not hardened; 

 lemmas from almost smooth to very pubescent, 8 to 14 mm. long, the 

 awn 2 to 5 cm. in length. 



This is one of the species of the original prairie and is still found 

 alnindantly in the state. It prefers sandy soil. The plants arc usu- 

 ally glaucous. 



ILLINOIS SPECIMENS: Without locality, rasc/y ; -Eomeo, TJmbach, July, 1S98. 

 CHAMPAIGN CO. Champaign, Woite; Seymour, Tsou, Oct., 1913. christian CO. 

 Taylorvillo, Andrews, cook co. Evanston, Shipman, Sept., 1886; Western 

 Springs, isinith, Sept., 1902; Salt Springs, Des Plaines region. Smith, Sept., 1902. 

 FULTON (0. Without locality, Pcpoon; Canton, Wolf, jo daviess co. Without 

 locality, Pepoon 74 and 1190. hancock co. Augusta, Mead in 1842. lake co. 

 Beach, Gates 2879, 2880; Waukegan, Gleason and Shobe'S27. menard co. With- 

 out locality. Hall, peoria co. Peoria, Brendel; Peoria, McDonald, July, ]S96. 

 STARK CO. Wady Petra, V. H. Chase 1241, 1243; 1550. avabash CO. Without 

 locality. Shearer; Mt. Carmel, Schneck, July, 1888; Hanging Eock, Sehncck, Sept., 

 1904. 



Elymus rohustus Scribn. and Smith. — A form of E. amadcnsis 

 with thick, dense, erect spikes not interrupted at base is recognized 

 by some as a distinct species under this name. There are, however, 

 so many intergrading specimens between this form and typical E. 

 canadensis that it is difficult to define the tAvo. The following speci- 

 mens are probably typical of the form : 



COOK CO. Chicago, Bahcoek. fulton (O. Canton, Wolf. ST. clair co. 

 Mascoutah, Welsch. stark co. Wady Petra, V. 11. Chase 1235. will co. Joliet, 

 SJccels 441. 



Elymus canadensis glaucifolius (Willd.) Torr. — This name is some- 

 times given to those specimens covered with a whitish or bluish bloom, 

 but these are really typical E. canadensis. It has been mentioned hy 

 Patterson (76, 51), Higley and Eaddin ('91, 147), and Huett ('97, 

 147). The following specimens are typical: 



cook (0, Thornton, IliU in 1865. lake co. Bench Area, Gates 2880. peo- 

 ria CO. Peoria, Brendel; Peoria, McDonald, July, 1896. stark co. Wady Petra, 

 V. H. Chase 1241.1. wabash co. Grand Eapids, Schneel-, July, 1904. 



Elymus diversig"lumis Scrilni. and Ball 

 (Fig. 281) 



Culms 3 to 4 feet high ; sheaths smooth ; blades 6 to 9 inches long, 

 6 to 12 mm. wide, rough, ending in a long sharp point; spike 3 to 6 

 iriches long, loosely flowered; lemmas 8 to 10 mm. long, pubescent; the 

 awn 2 to 3 cm. long; glumes reduced to short feeble awns. 



