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• Elymus villosus

Elymus villosus — downy wild-rye

Facts

Downy wild-rye is a rare species of floodplain forests, river banks, rich forests and open soils near the coast. There are two varieties, both of conservation concern. In its floodplain habitats, it may be threatened by changes in hydrology as well as invasive species. It is distinctive for its bristly, arching inforescence and leaves, both of which are softly hairy. Also, the awns are straight, not curved as in other Elymus species of similar habitats.

Habitat

Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests, meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  1.6–4 mm

  Anther number

  3

  Awn on glume

  the glume has an awn

  Bristles below spikelets

  no

  Floret lower bract texture

  the lemma is thin and flexible

  Floret number

  1–3

  Floret types within spikelet

  there are at least two distinct forms of florets within one spikelet

  Glume awn length

  5–25 mm

  Glume relative length

  • neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
  • one or both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets

  Glume veins

  3

  Glumes per spikelet

  2

  Inflorescence arrangement

  the spikelets are uniform

  Inflorescence axis hairs

  • the inflorescence axis is hairy but not rough or sand-papery feeling
  • the inflorescence axis is smooth and has no hairs

  Inflorescence axis orientation

  • the inflorescence axis bends downwards or hangs
  • the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward

  Inflorescence branch length

  0 cm

  Inflorescence branch roughness

  NA

  Inflorescence branches

  there are no branch points between the base of the inflorescence axis and the flowers, or they are not obvious

  Inflorescence branches coming off the lowest stem node

  0

  Inflorescence crowding

  NA

  Inflorescence length

  40–120 mm

  Inflorescence length to width ratio

  2.7–3.4

  Inflorescence type (general)

  the inflorescence is a spike, or is spike-like, lacking obvious branches

  Inflorescence type (specific)

  the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)

  Inflorescence width

  15–35 mm

  Inforescence position

  the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem

  Lemma awn base

  the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma

  Lemma awn coiled

  the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn

  Lemma awn length

  9–33 mm

  Lemma awn number

  the lemma has one awn on it

  Lemma awn orientation

  the awn of the lemma is straight

  Lemma cross-section

  the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint

  Lemma hairs

  • the lemma has fine hairs between the veins
  • the lemma is hairless between the veins

  Lemma marginal vein hairs

  • the marginal vein of the lemma has fine hairs on it
  • the marginal vein of the lemma is hairless

  Lemma surface

  the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)

  Lemma tip

  the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)

  Lemma tip shape

  the lemma tip tapers to a narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)

  Lemma vein number

  • 5
  • 7 or more

  Lemma vein orientation

  the veins on the lemma stay roughly parallel throughout

  Lower glume length

  7–25 mm

  Lower glume relative length

  the lower glume is nearly as long, or as long as, the upper glume

  One or more florets

  • there is more than one floret per spikelet
  • there is one floret per spikelet

  Palea length

  5–7.5 mm

  Palea relative length

  palea is one half to fully as long as lemma

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  Spikelet axis tip

  there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet

  Spikelet disintegration

  • the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
  • the spikelet breaks off below the glumes

  Spikelet length

  7–12 mm

  Spikelet number per node

  Up to 3

  Spikelet pedicel

  the spikelets do not have pedicels

  Spikelet pedicel length

  0 mm

  Spikelet position

  NA

  Spikelet shape

  • the spikelets are obovate (egg-shaped but with the widest point above the middle) in profile
  • the spikelets are obtriangular (triangular, with the widest end away from the point of attachment) in profile

  Spikelets per panicle branch

  0

  Spikelets spiny

  the spikelets do not appear spiny

  Tip of glume

  the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)

  Upper glume length

  7–25 mm

  Upper glume relative length

  the upper glume is more than one half as long as the lowest lemma

• Fruits or seeds

  Groove on seed

  the caryopsis has a groove running most of its length

• Growth form

  Horizontal rooting stem

  no

  Lifespan

  the plant lives more than two years

  Rhizomes

  no

  Roots

  there are only slender roots on the plant

• Leaves

  Leaf auricles

  the leaves have auricles

  Leaf blade cross-section

  the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section, or slightly folded or rolled inwards

  Leaf blade hairs

  the leaf blade is hairy

  Leaf blade length

  10–20 cm

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is smooth, or it may have soft hairs

  Leaf blade width

  4–12 mm

  Leaf ligule length

  Up to 1 mm

  Leaf ligule type

  the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane

  Leaf margin glands

  there are no glands along the edges of the leaf blade

  Leaf sheath closed around stem

  the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)

  Leaf sheath hair type

  • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath, but the hairs do not have blisters at their bases
  • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath

  Leaf sheath hairs

  • there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
  • there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath

  Orientation of topmost leaf

  • the flag leaf is held outward at more than a 45 degree angle from the stem, or it curves downwards from the horizontal
  • the flag leaf is held upright, or at less than a 45 degree angle out from the stem

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • forests
  • meadows or fields
  • river or stream floodplains

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Hairs at nodes

  the stem nodes are hairless or they have very sparse hairs

  Plant height

  40–130 cm

  Stem node number

  4–8

  Stem orientation

  the stems are upright

  Stem spacing

  the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae