Single Record

Species: Pascopyrum smithii [Elymus smithii] [Agropyrum glaucum var. occidentale] [Elytrigia smithii] etc.

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

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

PhotoRecords: YES Richard Haswell: Rio Grande Co, near head of Quarry Trail east of Del Norte, 5 Oct 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 European ranchers and farmers arrived. Pascopyrum smithii encroaches into towns, found along the sides of lawns, streets, and alleys. Perennial and cool-season, 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 into the Big Bend region of Texas. Note that currently POWO replaces the traditional genus name Pascopyrum with Elymus, on the authority of researchers in Kew Gardens, but most authorities still stick with Pascopyrum. For instance, Alred et al. (2020) note the curved midvein of the glumes and the plant's "unique genomic complement." Others who retain the genus Pascopyrum point to the few rudimentary culm leaves as contrasting with Elymus. As usual, iNaturalist follows POWO.