General: Squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) is a fairly common, upright grass that grows in individual clumps (bunches) in the deserts around Las Vegas. This is one of the medium-sized bunchgrasses, with leaves growing to several inches tall, and the flowering stalks growing to about 18-inches.

The flowering stalks are numerous and relatively long, standing high above the tuft of leaves. The flowering spikelets grow to about 2-cm long, not counting the awns. Initially, the flowers hug the flowering stalk and become red. By the time the seeds are ripe, the glumes and awns have grown to about 10-cm long and stick straight out from the flowering stalk, giving the appearance of a squirrel tail. When the seeds are ripe, the squirrel tail breaks off and can blow across the landscape spreading seeds far and wide.

Squirreltail is an uncommon component of vegetation associations in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) and higher life zones.

Family: Grass (Poaceae).

Other Names:

Plant Form: Perennial grass. Grows in bunches.

Height: About 18 inches.

Stems: Round, solid, to about 18 inches.

Leaves:

Flowers: When the seeds are ripe, the inflorescence looks like a bottlebrush or a squirrel tail.

Seeds:

Habitat:

Elevation:

Distribution: Western US.

Comments: When the seeds are ripe, the squirrel tail breaks off and can blow across the landscape spreading seeds far and wide.