; 
“a 
7 
Hordeum pratense. 
An annual or biennial grass growing principally in alkaline soil in 
the Western States and: Territories. It is eaten by cattle when ina 
young state, but when mature it is worthless and pestiferous on account 
of its barbed awns. 
z ELYMUS. 
Spikelets two to four at each joint of the rhachis of the simple stout spike, sessile, 
one to six-flowered ; outer glumes two for each; spikelets nearly side by side in its 
front, forming a kind of involucre for the cluster, narrow, rigid, one to three-nerved, 
acuminate or awned; flowering glumes herbaceous, rather shorter, oblong or lan- 
ceolate, rounded on the back, not keeled, acute or awned; palet shorter than its 
glume, two-keeled. 
Elymus Canadensis (Wild Rye; Rye Grass; Lyme Grass). 
A perennial, coarse grass, growing on river banks and in rich, shaded 
woods. In some localities, especially on moist prairies and banks in the 
west, it is quite common and is cut for hay. It should be cut early to 
be of value. (Plate 89.) 
Elymus condensatus (Giant Rye Grass.) 
This is a perennial grass, ranging from San Diego throughout Cali- 
fornia, and into Oregon and Washington Territory, also in the Rocky 
Mountain region of the interior. Itis very variable, but always a strong, 
heavy-rooted, coarse grass, from 3 to 5 or even to 12 feet high. Mr. Bo- 
lander states that it seems to do excellent service by fixing the soil on 
the banks of creeks and rivers. In the larger ferms the culms are half 
an inch thick. The leaves are smooth, 2 feet long and an inch wide or 
more, and the panicle 5 to 14 inches long and 14 inches thick. As it 
usually occurs in arid grounds, it is from 3 to 6 feet high, the leaves 
about 1 foot long and half an inch wide, and the spike-like panicle 4 to 
8 inches. In the large form the branches of the panicle are subdivided 
and 1 or 2 inches long. 
Mr. W. C. Cusick, of Oregon, says: 
This is a very valuable grass, commonly known as rye grass. In Baker County 
large quantities are cut for hay, for which it is said to be excellent. It is also much 
used as a winter forage plant. Cattle are driven into the dry bottoms, where it grows, 
and live upon it when the shorter grasses are covered with snow. 
(Plate 90.) 
Elymus triticoides. 
This has been considered a variety of Elymus condensatus, from which 
it differs in having strong runners, and not growing in thick clumps, 
but scattering and singly. Mr. Cusick says it is a valuable grass in 
Oregon, and cut for hay in wild meadows. 
Elymus Virginicus (Wild Rye Grass; Terrell Grass). 
The culm is rather stout, 2 to 3 feet high, leafy ; the lower leaves are 10 to 15 inches 
long, broad and rough. The sheath of the upper leaf usually incloses the stalk, 
and sometimes the base of the flower-spike. This spike is erect, dense, and rigid, 2 
_, to4or5 inches long, and one-half inch thick. The spikelets are two or three to- 
