Native Plants of the Great Lakes
North Branch Restoration Project:
Native Plant and Seed Collection
g Elymus Villosus / Family:
Poaceae
Silky Wild Rye, Swink/Wilhelm #5
FLOWERING: July
SEED TIMING: September - October
HABITAT: Closed canopy woodland and shaded floodplains
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: Silky rye is shorter, smaller and
earlier than other ryes. It is distinctive for the silkiness of its
upper blades (actually turned over at the stem so the silkiness
appears to be the underleaf). The nodding, compact inflorescense is
short and straight with straight awns longer than those of E.
virginicus, but not as long or wavy as in E. canadensis.
TO PICK: Seed spike will be light tan when ripe. Sometimes
called “pop grass” because of the popping sound it makes as
harvested. Awned lemmas will remain on stalk after seeds drop, so
check to see that there is still seed in the seed cases. |
