G50 

 WILD-RYES 



E'lymus spp. 



Elynvus is a fairly large genus of rather tall grasses of the North 

 Temperate Zone with more species in the western United States 

 than in any other region. With the exception of one introduced 

 annual, the western species are wholly perennial; most of them are 

 bunchgrasses ; several form turf by means of underground root- 

 stocks. Wild-ryes are widely distributed in the West, occurring 

 from the lower semidesert areas to the aspen and spruce belts. Some 

 species typically occur in the open in bottomlands and meadows and 

 others in grasslands, brush types, and woodlands. 



Generally speaking, the foliage of wild-ryes is harsh and is only 

 moderately palatable to livestock. Furthermore, the flower heads 

 (spikes) of many species are bristly or bearded (awned) and are 

 not relished. Some species are widely distributed and fairly abund- 

 ant, at least locally, so that the genus, although probably of 

 secondary importance, supplies much forage for livestock on the 

 western ranges. One species, Medusa-head (E. caput-medusae) , an 

 imported annual which now occurs on the Pacific coast, is practically 

 worthless as forage. The smaller, softer-leaved species as typified 

 by blue wild-rye (E. glaucus} are fairly good forage for cattle and 

 horses during the forepart of the season. After the heads form the 

 plants are not relished. The large, coarse species, such as giant 

 wild-rye (E. condensatus) , are less palatable and are grazed for 

 only a short period in the spring. However, they are of consider- 

 able value in some localities as winter forage for cattle and horses. 

 The wild-ryes are not very palatable to sheep, although when 

 young and tender they are often grazed by this class of livestock. 



The flower heads of wild-rye are usually erect, rather densely 

 flowered, with a jointed main axis (rachis) which usually does not 

 break up. In at least one species, however, Macoun wild-rye (E. 

 macounii) the rachis disarticulates, showing a transition to the genus 

 Sitanion. Individual flow'er groups (spikelets) are typically in 

 pairs at each joint of the rachis, but in some species there may be 

 three or more and in others only one, the latter being a transition to 

 the wheatgrasses (Agropyron spp.). In the single-spikeletted wild- 

 ryes the lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) are more or less awl- 

 like, while in the wheatgrasses the glumes are of a broader type. 

 Blue wild-rye is the most common and widely distributed species of 

 the group which has two spikelets at the rachis joints. Giant wild- 

 rye is easily the outstanding member of the genus, because of its 

 large size and habit of growing in enormous bunches. Its spikelets 

 occur in groups of 3 to 6, the heads completely or nearly awnless. 

 This species is widely distributed and formerly was very abundant 

 in bottomlands in Nevada, but has been largely destroyed by over- 

 grazing, except on protected areas utilized as hay lands. 



Among the turf-forming species, beardless wild-rye {E. triti- 

 coides], a blue-green perennial with long rootstocks, and with 

 spikelets in groups of 1 to 3, is common throughout the West and 



