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Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Leymus cinereus

Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr.) Á. Löve

Basin Wildrye, Great Basin Lyme Grass, Great Basin Wildrye

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Synonym(s): Aneurolepidium piperi, Elymus cinereus, Elymus cinereus var. pubens, Elymus condensatus var. pubens, Elymus piperi

USDA Symbol: LECI4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Much like common rye grass, this tall, robust, cool-season grass grows in bunches often 1 ft. or more across. The leaves are flat and 1-3 ft. long. There is a single, erect, dense seed head, 5-8 in. long, at the end of each 2-8 ft. culm. Great Basin lyme grass is a short-lived perennial.

From the Image Gallery

7 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , MN , MT , NE , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Canada: BC , SK
Native Distribution: B.C. to Sask., s. to s. CA & NM
Native Habitat: River banks; ravines; moist or dry slopes & plains

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Dry to moist, sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: This grass tolerates salt and drought and adapts to wet winters and dry summers. It is good for binding sandy, loose soils.

Propagation

Description: Sow seed.
Seed Treatment: Seeds germinate without treatment.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:			FAC			UPL		UPL		FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1995 VOL. 12, NO.3 - Explore the Big Bend With the Wildflower Center, Education Director\'s Report, T...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Leymus cinereus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Leymus cinereus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Leymus cinereus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-25
Research By: TWC Staff

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