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Leymus mollis ssp. mollis
Leymus mollis (Trin.) Pilg. ssp. mollis
American Dunegrass, American Dune Grass, Beach Wild Rye
Poaceae (Grass Family)
Synonym(s): Elymus arenarius ssp. mollis, Elymus arenarius var. scabrinervis, Elymus arenarius var. villosus, Elymus capitatus, Elymus mollis, Leymus arenarius ssp. mollis
USDA Symbol: LEMOM2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), GL (N), SPM (N)
A stout-stemmed grass, 2-5+ ft. tall, from creeping rhizomes. Basal leaves are numerous and overlapping and, in many forms, are a bright, glaucous blue. The flower spike is erect, dense, soft and pale.
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 5-1/2 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AK , CA , IL , MA , ME , MI , NH , OR , PA , WACanada: NB , PE
Native Distribution: Coasts from AK to Greenland, s. to MA & c. CA; also Lake Superior
Native Habitat: Coastal sand dunes
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Sun
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Sands.
Conditions Comments: The creeping rhizomes can be invasive in loose sands. European dune grass, Elymus arenarius L., is very similar. Many authorities now consider them as belonging to the same species, E. arenarius.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Leymus mollis ssp. mollis in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Leymus mollis ssp. mollis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Leymus mollis ssp. mollis
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-01-25Research By: TWC Staff