Single Record

Species: Elymus smithii [Pascopyrum smithii[ [Agropyron smithii] [Elytrigia smithii]

Geobotanical: SSawatch, Garitas, SSanjuans, Culebras, NCristos, UBasin, LBasin

Counties: Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Archuleta

PhotoRecords: YES Rich Haswell: Rio Grande Co, Del Norte street side 1 Jan 2025

Comments: Western wheatgrass is found nearly everywhere in the Watershed, ranging in habitat from basin to passes such as Wolf Creek and La Veta. It seems most adapted to flats and grasslands, and no doubt was one of the dominate species in the Basins before Europeans arrived. Elymus smithii encroaches into towns, along the sides of lawns, streets, and alleys. The species often dominates grasslands from the Pacific coast states to the western edge of the Appalachians. It is distributed down the Rio Grande drainage through New Mexico to the Big Bend region of Texas. Note that the traditional name has been Pascopyrum smithii, which is still accepted by most authorities, such as FNA, BONAP, Allred et al., and Ackerfield 2022. Currently (2025), however, POWO accepts the treatment of Gould (1947), and places the species in Elymus. E. smithii can be distinguished from other species of Elymus by the absence, acuteness, or shortness of its awns (if that is what they are).