Elymus angustispiculatus

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 80–100 cm long; 2–2.5 mm diam.; 4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths outer margin glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 8–15 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; bilateral; 16–20 cm long; 6 mm wide. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on surface; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 16–26 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous, or sparsely hairy.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 20–25 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.7 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl China 2005.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.