Leymus simplex

Illustrator: Cindy Roché

Copyright: Utah State University

Plants not cespitose, strongly rhizomatous, often glaucous. Culms 35-75 cm tall, 1-2.5 mm thick, solitary or few together, glabrous or sparsely pubescent near the nodes. Leaves exceeded by the spikes; sheaths glabrous, smooth; auricles infrequently present, to 0.8 mm, the auricular location often with hairs to 2 mm; ligules 0.3-0.5 mm, truncate, erose; blades 4-29 cm long, 1-2(5) mm wide, flat, becoming involute when dry, stiff, adaxial surfaces scabrous, with scattered hairs to 2 mm, veins 7-11, subequal, prominently ribbed. Spikes 1.5-27 cm long, 4-15 mm wide, with 1 spikelet per node at midspike, sometimes with 2 at the lower nodes; internodes 7-20 mm, surfaces glabrous or strigillose, edges ciliate, cilia to 1 mm. Spikelets 16-25 mm, pedicellate, pedicels 1-2(5) mm, with 3-12 florets. Glumes subequal, 8-12 mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, subulate, tapering from about 1/4 of their length, stiff, glabrous at least at the base, the central portion thicker than the margins, keeled, 0-1(3)-veined, veins inconspicuous at midlength; lemmas 7-12 mm, glabrous, awned, awns 2.3-6.5(12) mm; anthers 3.7-4.5 mm, dehiscent. 2n = 28.

Distribution

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• Legacy Map

Colo., Utah, Wyo., Calif., Nev., Ariz., Oreg.

Discussion

Leymus simplex is found in meadows and drifting sand in southern Wyoming, and along the Green River in northeastern Utah.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Leymus simplex var. luxurians, Leymus simplex var. simplex

Key

1	Culms 55-75 cm tall; spikes 10-27 cm long; internodes 10-20 mm	Leymus simplex var. luxurians
1	Culms 35-55 cm tall; spikes 1.5-13 cm long; internodes 7-9 mm	Leymus simplex var. simplex