Elymus villosus Muhl.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Poaceae

• Scientific Name

  Elymus villosus Muhl.

• Description

  Species Description - Tufted, slender, 3–10 dm; lvs 5–7, usually softly villous on the upper side, the main ones 5–10 mm wide; sheaths glabrous to pilose; spikes 5–12 cm, arcuate, copiously villous- hirsute or sometimes glabrous to scabrous, closely fld, the internodes mostly 1.5–3 mm; spikelets 1(2)-fld, paired on the rachis; glumes setaceous, 15–30 mm overall, 0.4–1 mm wide, indurated and terete for 1–3 mm at the straight or somewhat bowed-out base, not widened above, strongly 1–3-nerved; lemmas 2–4 cm, including the straight, ascending awn; paleas mostly 5.5–6.5(–7) mm, obtuse, 2n=28. Dry woods and banks; Vt. to N.D., s. to N.C. and Tex. A hybrid with Hordeum jubatum has been called ×Elyhordeum iowense Pohl.

• Common Names

  downy wild rye