Elymus hystrix L.

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass; Common Bottlebrush Grass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass is a native herbaceous perennial in the Grass family (Poaceae). It occurs in north and central Alabama. Eastern Bottlebrush Grass grows on moist to dry soils of hardwood forest edges, on slopes, and along terraces of streams. It is a warm season bunch grass with erect culms from 1-4 feet in height. The culms have 4-8 nodes. Leaves are linear, evenly distributed along the culm, and pubescent to scabridulous on the lower surface. Brown or black auricles are usually present. Flowers are produced in terminal, erect spikes. There are usually 2 strongly divergent spiklets per node. The fruit is a grain with a long, straight awn. All species of Elymus are alloploids (hybrids with two or more sets of chromosomes derived from two different ancestral species). Eastern Bottlebrush Grass is an alloploid combining Pseudoroegneria and Hordeum haplomes. It was placed in the genus Hystrix in 1794 based on the glumes being long setaceous or absent. It has since been moved back to the genus Elymus based on DNA evidence. Eastern Bottlebrush Grass often forms hybrids with other species of Elymus with which in occurs. They can usually be recognized by the more appressed nature of the spiklets.—A. Diamond.

**

Native

**