Leymus arenarius

(L.) Hochst.
Common names: European dunegrass Lymegrass Elyme des sables d'europe
Introduced
Synonyms: Elymus arenarius
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 356.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator: Cindy Roché

Copyright: Utah State University

Plants weakly cespitose, rhizomatous, strongly glaucous. Culms 50-150 cm tall, (2) 3-6 mm thick, usually glabrous throughout, occasionally pub¬escent distally to 5 mm below the spike. Leaves exceeded by the spikes; ligules 0.3-2.5 mm; blades 3-11 mm wide, with 15-40 adaxial veins. Spikes 12-35 cm long, 15-25 mm wide, usually with 2 spikelets per node; internodes 8-12 mm, surfaces glabrous, edges ciliate. Spikelets 12-30 mm, with 2-5 florets. Glumes 12-30 mm long, 2-3.5 mm wide, lanceolate, tapering from below midlength, stiff, glabrous towards the base and usually distally, sometimes pubescent distally, the central portion thicker than the margins, 3 (5) -veined at midlength, keeled or rounded over the midvein, midveins and sometimes the margins with hairs to about 1.3 mm, apices acuminate; lemmas 12-25 mm, densely villous, hairs 0.3-0.7 mm, 5-7-veined, acute, occasionally awned, awns to 3 mm; anthers 6-9 mm, dehiscent. 2n = 56.

Distribution

Mich., Wis., N.Y., Ill., Ind., Greenland, N.W.T., Ont., Que., Conn.

Discussion

Leymus arenarius is native to Europe. It has become established in sandy habitats around the Great Lakes and the coast of Greenland. It has also been found at a few other widely scattered locations. It is sometimes cultivated, forming large, attractive, blue-green clumps, but its tendency to spread may be undesirable.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."/2-33/4timesthelengthof" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Leymus arenarius"
membranous +  and scarious +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
0-3(7)-veined +
straight +
midlength +
hairy +, glabrous +  and pilose +
acuminate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Mary E. Barkworth +
(L.) Hochst. +
0-3(7)-veined +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
straight +
midlength +
glabrous +  and pilose +
tapering +, acuminate +, acute +  and keeled +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
not evident +
cross +, linear +  and narrowly lanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
spikelike +
hairy +  and glabrous +
European dunegrass +, Lymegrass +  and Elyme des sables d'europe +
not branching +
50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br /> (150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
not woody +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Mich. +, Wis. +, N.Y. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Greenland +, N.W.T. +, Ont. +, Que. +  and Conn. +
liquid +, soft +  and hard +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
2 +  and 5 +
laterally compressed +  and terete +
shorter than to longer than the adjacent florets +
12mm +  and 30mm +
subtending +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
tapering +  and lanceolate +
reduced +  and subequal +
2mm +  and 3.5mm +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br />) +
solid +  and hollow +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (?) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0-3(7)-veined +
glabrous +  and pilose +
tapering +, acuminate +, acute +  and keeled +
distributed +
keeled +  and rounded +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
stiffly membranous +  and coriaceous +
truncate +  and rounded +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
fleshy +  and membranous +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
hairy +  and glabrous +
well-developed +
slightly shorter than to slightly longer than the lemmas +
slightly longer +
subequal +
appressed +  and ascending +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
spikelike +
Introduced +
12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br /> (?) +  and 35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br /> (?) +
pedicellate +  and sessile +
bisexual +  and sterile +
terete +  and compressed +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
not papillate +
Elymus arenarius +
Leymus arenarius +
species +
awnlike +
membranous +
0-3(7)-veined +
awned +  and ribbed +
midlength +
glabrous +  and pilose +
tapering +, acuminate +, acute +  and keeled +
unequal +  and subequal +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +