Basin wild rye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basin wild rye |
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| Genus: |
Leymus
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| Species: |
cinereus
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Leymus cinereus is a type of wild rye grass. It is often called basin wild rye or Great Basin wild rye. This strong grass grows naturally in western North America. You can find it in western Canada and across the United States. It grows from California all the way to Minnesota.
Basin wild rye lives in many different places. It thrives in open grasslands and prairie areas. You can also see it in forests, scrublands, and sagebrush fields.
Discovering Basin Wild Rye Grass
Basin wild rye is a perennial bunchgrass. This means it lives for many years. It also grows in large, dense clumps. These clumps can be as tall as 2 metres (6.6 ft) (about 6.5 feet). They can also spread out to more than 1 metre (3.3 ft) (about 3 feet) wide.
This grass has a very strong root system. Its roots are thick and spread out. Sometimes, it also has small underground stems called rhizomes. These help the plant spread.
The flowers of basin wild rye grow in a tall, straight spike. This spike can have up to 35 sections. Each section holds several small flower clusters called spikelets.
Sometimes, basin wild rye can mix its genes with other types of grass. This creates a new kind of plant. It can do this with Leymus triticoides, Leymus salina, and Elymus elymoides.
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Flowering
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Close-up of the spikelets
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How People Use Basin Wild Rye
Native American groups used basin wild rye in many ways. The Okanagan and Colville tribes used its roots as medicine. They used it to help with internal bleeding. They also made a special liquid from the roots to help hair grow.
The Cheyenne tribe had another use for the grass. They would burn the grass and mix the ash with blood. This mixture created a black dye.
Different groups also used the grass for everyday items. They made soft bedding and floor coverings from it. They also used the strong stems to make arrows. The flexible parts of the grass were perfect for weaving basketry.
Today, special types of basin wild rye are grown. These types are called cultivars. They are used to improve grazing lands for animals. They also help to restore land that has been damaged. Two well-known types are 'Magnar' and 'Trailhead'.
