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Wind Cave National ParkFalse Gromwell Seedling
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Wind Cave National Park
Seed Study - Elymus elymoides
Elymus elymoides - Bottlebrush Squirreltail

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Elymus elymoides - Bottlebrush Squirreltail

Species: Elymus elymoides (Sitanion hystrix)
Common name: bottlebrush squirreltail

Vegetative identification: Sheath is split part of the way down, has translucent margins, indistinct veins, large claw-like auricles and can be smooth or have very short hairs. Blades are rolled in the bud, distinctly veined and finely pubescent with a prominent mid-vein on the back.

 

Elymus elymoides – squirreltail bottlebrush
Average number of good seeds per gram bulk matter: 124
Average number of good seeds per gram cleaned: 160
Commercial estimates of seeds per gram: 187
Percent seed: 41
Percent live: 91
Collection dates: July 15; August 2, 3, and 19
Collection effort: 76 grams in 21 person hours
Collection notes: Relatively common but somewhat difficult to collect because awns make it difficult to put collected seed in a bag.
Cleaning notes: Bulk matter measurement includes lemmas, glumes, awns, and unfilled seed. Cleaned seed had the lemmas glumes and awns but contained only hard seed. Removing the seed from the rachis is quite time consuming so it would be more economical spread the seed using the entire seed head.
Blue Flax  

Did You Know?
Blue Flax is often considered a subspecies of the Eurasian L. perenne which is very similar. The plant is named after Meriwether Lewis.
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Last Updated: September 15, 2007 at 13:57 EST