Author
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Young, James |
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Clements, Darin - Charlie |
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Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Popular Publication Publication Acceptance Date: 7/29/2004 Publication Date: 8/2/2004 Citation: Young, J.A., Clements, C.D. 2004. Annual wheatgrass. Reno Gazette-Journal. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Annual wheatgrass (Eremopyrum triticeum Gaertn. Nevski) has greatly increased in Nevada during the past decade. It is an exotic annual from Central and Western Asia and adjacent Europe. It is native to arid shrub steppe and salt desert environments. It is often called 'annual crested wheatgrass' because of the appearance of the seedhead as the seedheads look like a mini0ature crested wheatgrass seedhead, although it is not closely related to crested wheatgrass. The tips of the glumes, lemma, and palea have minute, but very sharp awns. The plant resembles a sparsely leafed cheatgrass plant, but as the plant matures the leaves disappear and the plant becomes virtually invisible. The seedheads break at the base and disperse as an entire unit. The seedheads can be seen on the soil surface for several years after maturity. Seedlings emerge from the seedheads and form clumps that resemble the seedlings from rodent caches of cheatgrass seeds. Annual wheatgrass is found in the lower margins of the big sagebrush zone and in the salt desert and is a highly undesirable weed. |
