Elymus trachycaulus

Elymus trachycaulus is a species of wild rye known by the common name slender wheatgrass. It is native to much of North America. It grows in widely varied habitats from northern Canada to Mexico, but is absent from most of the southeastern United States.[1]

Elymus trachycaulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Elymus
Species:
E. trachycaulus
Binomial name
Elymus trachycaulus
(Link) Gould ex Shinners
Synonyms

Agropyron trachycaulum (Link) Malte ex H.F. Lewis

It is variable in appearance, but generally bears a very narrow, linear inflorescence of spikelets appressed against the stem. There are three subspecies, two very widespread and one which is limited to Greenland.[2]

Habitat

Slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus) ideally grows in habitats that contain a balanced supply of moisture. The species can also tolerate higher salinity in the soil, making it easier to grow in more diverse habitats.[3] Studies in soil salinity tolerance have grown in interest due to changing environments and agricultural maintenance. In an experiment performed to assess the growth of slender wheatgrass and stressful salt levels, the results were "superior". This cultivar can be established in a high-saline habitat over other grass cultivars. "Salt-tolerant, perennial forage crops capable of establishing on saline soils will provide protection against erosion, compete with weeds, utilize excess soil moisture, and in some situations provide forage for animals." [4] Along with saline-stress tolerance, slender wheatgrass can also successfully grow in shallow or deep soils and in areas that aren't limited by drift. They can inhabit an area and produce a stable living situation quickly. Generally this cultivar will persist between 5 and 10 years and produce a substantial seed count.[5]

References
  1. "Elymus trachycaulus". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  2. "Elymus trachycaulus subsp. virescens". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. Glover, D. E., et al. "Agronomic characteristics and nutritive value of 11 grasses grown with irrigation on a saline soil in southwestern Saskatchewan". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 84(2004): 1037-1050.
  4. Acharya, S. N., et al. "Salt stress tolerance in native Alberta populations of slender wheatgrass and alpine bluegrass". Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 72(1992): 785-792.
  5. Perryman, B. L., Laycock, W. A., Koch, D. W. "Investigation of Herbaceous Species Adapted to Snowfence Areas". Journal of Range Management. 53(2000): 371-375.


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