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common eastern wild-rye

Elymus virginicus
Poaceae

Infertile leaves grow in a bunch
Fertile leaves enclosing flower spike rise above basal bunch early July
Flowering spike poking through protective leaf mid-July
Lemmas of spike have dark green stripes and a needle-like awn mid-July
Each bunch produces more than one flowering spike mid-July
Anthers exposed for wind pollination late July
Seeds developing late September
Mature seeds no longer green late September
All seeds matured and leaves dried mid-November

The common eastern wild-rye is native to eastern North America.  It is a short-lived perennial bunchgrass that propagates by seed or by sending out lateral shoots from the base of the stem.  It can tolerate some shade, and although preferring moist habitats like brackish or freshwater marshes, coastal beaches, forests, shores of rivers or lakes, it is also found in dry habitats like ledges, talus, and rocky slopes.  It is a cool season grass, which means it grows actively in spring and fall when soil temperatures are low.

At Salter Grove, a typical bunch of this grass can be found near the Marsh Trail marker M2. 

Each plant produces infertile and fertile shoots.  The infertile shoots produce short leaves that persist throughout the growing seasons in a bunch at the base of the plant.  The fertile shoots rise above the infertile leaves, and consist of multiple long leaves along an erect hollow stem that supports the flower spike. Each floret of the flower spike is protected by a lemma marked with dark green stripes and a long terminal bristle.  After the florets are cross-pollinated by wind during a short one to two week period, the leaves of the fertile shoot wither away.   Each successfully pollinated floret becomes a fruit in the form of a long grain. 

When properly managed for grazing, the eastern wild-rye provides good pasturage because livestock find the leaves palatable before seed heads develop.  Some ducks and small rodents feed on the mature seeds.  Canada Geese feed on its foliage.  Its rapid growth and habit of developing lateral shoots from the base of the stem make it a good candidate for erosion control.