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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
ABBREVIATION :
PSAJUN
SYNONYMS :
Elymus junceus Fisch. [18]
SCS PLANT CODE :
NO-ENTRY
COMMON NAMES :
Russian wildrye
TAXONOMY :
The fully documented scientific name of Russian wildrye is
Psathyrostachys juncea (Fischer) Nevski. The taxonomy presented here
follows that of Barkworth and Dewey [2] who do not recognize any
varieties or forms within North America. The genus Pasthyrostachys is
composed of ten species native to the steppes and arid regions of
southeastern Europe. Russian wildrye is the only species of this genus
to establish in North America [2].
The synonym Elymus junceus Fisch. is frequently encountered in the
literature.
LIFE FORM :
Graminoid
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
Nancy E. McMurray, September 1987
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
McMurray, Nancy E. 1987. Psathyrostachys juncea. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Russian wildrye is native to the steppe and desert regions of Russia and
China. Although first introduced to the United States in 1927, wide
utilization of this species in rangeland rehabilitation and improvement
was not initiated until the 1950's [18]. It has recently been
introduced throughout the Intermountain West and northern Great Plains.
It is currently distributed from Manitoba and Saskachewan southward to
Arizona [18]. This species is becoming established in North America
[12]. Naturalized plants have been reported for a few localities in
Utah, Wyoming, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba [5].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES30 Desert shrub
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES38 Plains grasslands
FRES40 Desert grasslands
STATES :
AZ CO ID MT NE ND NV SD UT WY
MB SK
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
BRCA FLFO
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
14 Great Plains
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K037 Mountain mahogany - oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K040 Saltbush - greasewood
K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K056 Wheatgrass - needlegrass shrubsteppe
K057 Galleta - three-awn shrubsteppe
K063 Foothills prairie
K064 Grama - needlegrass - wheatgrass
K065 Grama - buffalograss
K066 Wheatgrass - needlegrass
K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem - needlegrass
SAF COVER TYPES :
217 Aspen
237 Interior ponderosa pine
239 Pinyon - juniper
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Russian wildrye has been widely utilized for rangeland rehabilitation
and restoration throughout the Intermountain West and northern Great
Plains because of its drought resistance and salt tolerance [17,18].
Once established, this bunchgrass provides one of the best sources of
forage on many semiarid rangelands. Plants produce abundant and
nutritious early season forage, and the dense basal leaves remain green
and retain their nutritional value longer than many other often seeded
grasses such as crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum).
PALATABILITY :
Russian wildrye is highly palatable to both livestock and big game [15].
This cool-season bunchgrass resumes growth very early in the spring and
is often the first forage utilized on many spring ranges in Utah. Since
plants are capable of remaining green well into the summer, Russian
wildrye is commonly selected over other grasses later in the grazing
season. Plants also cure well.
The degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for Russian
wildrye in several western states is rated as follows [8]:
CO MT ND UT WY
Cattle Good Good Good Good Good
Sheep Good Good Good Good Good
Horses Good Good Good Good Good
Pronghorn ---- ---- ---- Good Poor
Elk ---- ---- ---- Good Good
Mule deer ---- ---- ---- Good Poor
White-tailed deer ---- ---- ---- ---- Poor
Small mammals ---- ---- ---- Good ----
Small nongame birds ---- ---- ---- Good ----
Upland game birds ---- ---- ---- Good ----
Waterfowl ---- ---- ---- Poor ----
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
The degree to which Russian wildrye provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species is as follows [8]:
UT WY
Pronghorn Poor Poor
Elk Poor Poor
Mule deer Poor Fair
White-tailed deer ---- Fair
Small mammals Fair Good
Small nongame birds Fair Good
Upland game birds Fair Good
Waterfowl Poor Fair
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
NO-ENTRY
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Russian wildrye is a hardy, vigorous, drought-resistant, long-lived,
densely tufted, cool-season, introduced, perennial bunchgrass. This
species superficially resembles crested wheatgrass (Agropyron
cristatum), another frequently cultivated Eurasian bunchgrass [17].
Plants produce abundant, fibrous roots [16] and are strictly caespitose,
never forming rhizomes [1]. Culms are densely tufted, typically 1.3 to
3.7 feet (4-11 dm) tall and erect or decumbent at the base. Old sheath
bases are usually persistent, often ultimately shredding into fibers
[5,18]. Leaves are mostly basal, abundant, and lax; blades are flat to
involute. The inflorescense is an erect, dense, flat-cylindric spike
from 1.3 to 6.4 inches (3-16 cm) long [18]. Lemmas are short-awned.
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Hemicryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
NO-ENTRY
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Elevational ranges for several western states are presented below
[8,18].
from 5,500 to 7,000 feet (1,677-2,134 m) in CO
4,198 to 9,414 feet (1,280-2,870 m) in UT
6,900 to 8,500 feet (2,104-2,591 m) in WY
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Russian wildrye is an introduced species that has been seeded in a wide
variety of early seral situations in numerous nonforested communities
throughout the Intermountain West and northern Great Plains. Once
established, plants are strong competitors and on seeded pastures
typically self-thin into open stands. This species is relatively
long-lived when under cultivation. Wasser [17] estimates longevity to
be approximtely 25 years or longer in the northern Great Plains and
perhaps somewhat shorter on sites within the Great Basin. When seeded
on mountain-brush sites in Utah, Russian wildrye was more productive
growing in the light shade of greasewood (Sarcobatus spp.), big
sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), and rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysthosamnus
spp.) than on sites lacking these associated woody species [15].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Detailed information on the phenological development of Russian wildrye
is lacking. This cool-season bunchgrass begins growth early in the
spring, almost as early as crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum)
[16,17]. Russian wildrye is noted for its ability to remain green
throughout the summer on sites where moisture is adequate, even after
early seed maturity. Apparently fall regrowth is made quickly, with
plants remainomg green into the fall.
Anthesis data for several western states is as follows [8,11]:
State Earliest flowering Latest flowering
date date
CO June July
ND June July
UT May July
WY June July
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tussock graminoid
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
NO-ENTRY
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
NO-ENTRY
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Psathyrostachys juncea | Russian Wildrye
REFERENCES :
1. Barkworth, Mary E.; Atkins, Riley J. 1984. Leymus hochst.
(Gramineae:Triticeae) in North America: taxonomy and distribution.
American Journal of Botany. 71(5): 609-625. [2889]
2. Barkworth, Mary E.; Dewey, Douglas R. 1985. Genomically based genera in
the perennial Triticeae of North America: identification and membership.
American Journal of Botany. 72(5): 767-776. [393]
3. Barkworth, Mary E.; Dewey, Douglas R.; Atkins, Riley J. 1983. New
generic concepts in the Triticeae of the Intermountain Region: key and
comments. Great Basin Naturalist. 43(4): 561-572. [394]
4. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
5. Cronquist, Arthur; Holmgren, Arthur H.; Holmgren, Noel H.; [and others].
1977. Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West,
U.S.A. Vol. 6. The Monocotyledons. New York: Columbia University Press.
584 p. [719]
6. Dewey, Douglas R. 1983. Historical and current taxonomic perspectives of
Agropyron, Elymus, and related genera. Crop Science. 23: 637-642. [793]
7. Dewey, Douglas R. 1983. New nomenclatural combinations in the North
American perennial Triticeae (Gramineae). Brittonia. 35(1): 30-33.
[794]
8. Dittberner, Phillip L.; Olson, Michael R. 1983. The plant information
network (PIN) data base: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming. FWS/OBS-83/86. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior,
Fish and Wildlife Service. 786 p. [806]
9. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
10. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
11. Goodrich, Sherel. 1986. Vascular plants of the Desert Experimental
Range, Millard County, Utah. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-209. Ogden, UT: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research
Station. 72 p. [1033]
12. Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas. 1392 p. [1603]
13. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
14. Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession
following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council
fire and land management symposium; 1974 October 8-10; Missoula, MT. No.
14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373. [1496]
15. Plummer, A. Perry; Christensen, Donald R.; Monsen, Stephen B. 1968.
Restoring big-game range in Utah. Publ. No. 68-3. Ephraim, UT: Utah
Division of Fish and Game. 183 p. [4554]
16. Vallentine, John F. 1961. Important Utah range grasses. Extension
Circular 281. Logan, UT: Utah State University. 48 p. [2937]
17. Wasser, Clinton H. 1982. Ecology and culture of selected species useful
in revegetating disturbed lands in the West. FWS/OBS-82/56. Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Office
of Biological Services, Western Energy and Land Use Team. 347 p.
Available from NTIS, Springfield, VA 22161; PB-83-167023. [2458]
18. Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry
C., eds. 1987. A Utah flora. Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo,
UT: Brigham Young University. 894 p. [2944]
19. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
20. Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern
Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090]
21. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982.
National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
Index
Related categories for Species: Psathyrostachys juncea
| Russian Wildrye
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