Taxon

Eriocoma hymenoides

 
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Eriocoma hymenoides - Indian ricegrass, Indian millet
Image: Janice Tucker
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Common name: Indian ricegrass, Indian millet
Family: Poaceae (Grass)
Synonym: Achnatherum hymenoides, Oryzopsis hymenoides
Distribution: Central and Western United States, Central and Western Canada
Habitat: Prairies, dunes
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3 (-40 to -30 °F)
Life form: Grasses
Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant
Growing Conditions: Indian rice grass is found on dry, well-drained soils from 3,500-6,500 ft. It prefers sandy soil and often dominates sand dunes, but also grows well in rocky soils and calcareous soils. This grass is drought and heat tolerant, but is intolerant of shade. It is well-suited for mixed meadows and land reclamation. The species declines with heavy grazing or excess moisture. The seed has a hard coat that prolongs dormancy, taking up to two years to germinate unless seed is scarified.
Description: This distinctive cool-season bunch grass is recognized by slender, stiff, thread-like leaves that roll inward (involute), and loose, branching panicles of spindle-shaped spikelets each having a single flower. At the base of each spikelet is a pair of bracts (glumes), which are longer than the floret. The florets drop off individually as the grains mature, leaving the glumes behind on the stalk and giving the plant an airy appearance in winter. The florets are surrounded by leathery bracts (lemmas), which are covered in long, white hairs that easily rub off. The lemmas become hardened and lose their awns with maturity.
Links: Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy) • NatureServe Explorer • SEINet • Wildflower Center - Native Plant Database

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