Agropyron fragile
Plants not rhizomatous. Culms 30-100 cm, rarely geniculate. Ligules to 1 mm; blades 1.5-6 mm wide. Spikes (5)8-15 cm long, 5-13 mm wide, linear to narrowly lanceolate; internodes 1.5-5 mm. Spikelets 7-16 mm, appressed or diverging up to 30(35)° from the rachises. Glumes 3-5 mm, glabrous or hairy, often awned, awns 1-3 mm; lemmas 5-9 mm, keels scabrous distally, apices unawned, sometimes mucronate, mucros up to 0.5 mm; anthers 4-5 mm. 2n = (14), 28, (42).
Distribution
Colo., N.Mex., Utah, Mont., Wyo., Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Sask., Yukon, Nev., S.Dak.
Discussion
Agropyron fragile is native from the southern Volga basin through the Caucasus to Turkmenistan and Mongolia. It is more drought-tolerant than A. cristatum. Within the Flora region, A. fragile appears to be uncommon outside of experimental plantings. This may change as more cultivars become available.
Selected References
None.