2. Elymus diversiglumis Scribn. & C.R. Ball

Pl. 185 c, d; Map 747

Plants without rhizomes, forming tufts. Flowering stems 70–150 cm long, glabrous, often somewhat glaucous. Leaf sheaths often glaucous. Leaf blades 8–40 cm long, 5–15 mm wide, flat, usually with a pair of inconspicuous, short auricles at the base, hairy on the upper surface. Inflorescences 8–25 cm long, arched or nodding, with relatively widely spaced clusters of mostly (1)2(3) spikelets per node, the axis flattened, persistent, not breaking into segments at maturity. Spikelets, with 2–4 florets, erect or strongly ascending, disarticulating above the glumes (if present) and between the florets. Glumes highly reduced, 2–15 mm long, awnlike from a small, thickened, hard base, very unequal in size (more than 5 mm difference in length). Lemmas with the body 7–10(–12) mm long, lanceolate, faintly 5‑nerved, hairy (often silvery), the tip with the awn 20–35 mm long, roughened, at least some of the awns noticeably bent or arched outward. Paleas mostly 7.5–9.0 mm long. Anthers 2–3 mm long. 2n=28. June–August.

Uncommon in western Missouri (Michigan to Wyoming south to Iowa and Missouri; Canada). Upland prairies and dry upland forests.