Elymus (wawawaiensis)

Dave Skinner PMC Farm Manager USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Room 211A Hulbert Hall WSU Pullman, Washington 99164-6211 509-335-9689 509-335-2940 (fax) abbie@wsu.edu http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/wapmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Poaceae
Family Common Name:	Grass
Scientific Name:	Elymus wawawaiensis J. Carlson & Barkworth Secar
Common Synonym:	Agropyron spicatum (Pursh) Scrib. &J.G. Sm. spicatum </i>'Secar'
Common Name:	Snake River wheatgrass
Species Code:	ELWA2
Ecotype:	'Secar' was released as a cultivar of bluebunch wheatgrass, <i>Pseudoroegneria spicata</i> ssp. <i>spicata</i> (<i>Agropyron spicatum</i>) but was later determined to be a new species of <i>Elymus</i> (Carlson & Barkworth 1997).
General Distribution:	Canyons of the Snake River and tributaries in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.
Known Invasiveness:	not invasive
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	10 cu. in.
Time To Grow:	4 Months
Target Specifications:	Tight root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seed ripens in mid to late July in the Pullman area. It is collected when the inflorescence begins to dry and the seed is in the soft to hard dough stage but before it shatters from the inflorescence. Seed can be stripped from the inflorescence or the inflorescence can be clipped from the plant. Harvested seed is stored in paper bags at room temperature until cleaned.
Propagule Processing:	Small amounts are rubbed to free the seed, then cleaned with an air column separator. Larger amounts are threshed with a hammermill or a plot thresher, then cleaned with air screen equipment. Processing seed with a hammermill or a debearder to remove the awns will facilitate seed flow in cleaning equipment. Clean seed is stored in controlled conditions at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% relative humidity.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seed germinates well without pretreatment.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	In January seed is sown in the greenhouse in 10 cu. in. Ray Leach Super cell conetainers filled with Sunshine #4 and covered lightly. Head space of ¬ to « inch is maintained in conetainers to allow deep watering. A thin layer of coarse grit is applied to the top of the planting soil to prevent seeds from floating during watering. Conetainers are watered deeply.
Establishment Phase:	Medium is kept moist until germination occurs. Emergence usually begins in 5 days and is complete in 10 days.
Length of Establishment Phase:	2 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are watered deeply every other day and fertilized once per week with a complete, water soluble fertilizer containing micro-nutrients.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	3 months
Hardening Phase:	Plants are moved to the cold frame in late March or early April, depending on weather conditions. They are watered every other day if the weather is cool, and every day during hot, dry spells.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2-4 weeks
Other Comments:	No insect problems have been noted. Clean seed retains high germination for at least ten years under cool, dry storage conditions. High heat and/or high humidity reduce seed storage life. Plants may be propagated by division. This method should only be used for plants growing in cultivation. Plants should not be dug up from stands in the wild.
References:	Carlson, Jack R., and Mary E. Barkworth. 1997. Elymus wawawaiensis: A Species Hitherto confused with Pseudoroegneria spicata (Triticeae, Poaceae). Phytologia 83:312-320. Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle, WA. 730 pp. USDA ARS National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov2/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?448068 (16 February 2007). USDA NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 16 February 2007). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Citation:

Skinner, David M,. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Elymus wawawaiensis J. Carlson & Barkworth plants 10 cu. in.; USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Pullman, Washington. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/28). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.