Elymus brevipes

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; drooping; bilateral; 7–11 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 14–22 mm long; 4–7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–3 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3–4 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; reflexed; 25–30 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 8–9 mm long; 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back. Palea apex truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2.5 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl China 2005.

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