Eremopyrum

a genus of plants of the family Gramineae. They are annual ephemeral grasses with geniculate stems and flat leaf blades. The inflorescence is a short, compact spike. The spikes generally have three to six flowers. There are eight species, distributed from the Mediterranean region to India. Five species are found in the USSR; Eremopyrum orientale, E. bonaopartis, and E. triticeum are distributed in the steppe and desert zones, growing in wormwood and feather-grass steppes, in sand, and on arid slopes. All species of Eremopyrum are valuable early-spring fodder for livestock.