is fairly abundant along the Humboldt Eiver in Nevada, often in as- 

 sociation with giant wild-rye. This species is frequently cut for 

 hay and is superior to giant wild-rye for this purpose. It resembles 

 bluestem (Agropyron smithii) somewhat but is usually more robust. 

 This species produces an abundance of seed and was used as meal, or 

 pinole, by the Indians. Such utilization was so common that the 

 whites often referred to E. triticoides as squawgrass. 1 



Wild-ryes are thus named because of their resemblance to culti- 

 vated rye (Secale cereale). They are also called ryegrasses and 

 lymegrasses. Their scientific name is derived from the Greek elurnos, 

 which was an ancient name for. a kind of grain. The wild-rye genus 

 belongs to the barley tribe of grasses (Horcleae) which, among others, 

 includes the wheatgrasses and several of the grains such as rye, 

 barley 2 and wheat. Western wild-ryes are not cultivated on any 

 extensive scale, although a few species are cut for hay when they 

 occur in natural stands of sufficient size and density. 



Many species of wild-rye, including two of the common western 

 species, Canada wild-rye (E. canadensis] and giant wild-rye are sus- 

 ceptible to infestation by ergot, a fungous disease. It is possible 

 that all species of wild-rye will contract this disease which most 

 commonly occurs on rye. This fungous growth infects the heads of 

 the grasses and replaces the seed with black or purplish club-shaped 

 bodies. Ergot contains several poisonous compounds and, if infected 

 grasses are consumed by livestock, illness and death may result. 

 Most such cases of livestock poisoning in the United States result 

 from wild-rye ergot. 2 Losses probably occur on the range in which 

 the responsibility of this poison is not recognized. 



1 Chesnut, V. K. PLANTS USED BY THE INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTS CALIFORNIA, 

 U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Bot., Contrib. U. S. Natl. Herbarium 7 : 295-422, illus. 1902. 



2 Pammel, L. H. A MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS CHIEFLY OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, 



WITH BRIEF NOTES ON ECONOMIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS ... 2 ptS., illUS. Cedar Rapids. 



Iowa. 1910-1911. 



