Elymus caninus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–110 cm long; 2–5 -noded. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 4–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ungrooved; scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; drooping, or erect; bilateral; 5–20 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 2–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous to mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–10 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 2–5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous to mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate to oblong; 9–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or flexuous; 7–20 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; elliptic; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Stigmas 2; protandrous; laterally exserted. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; isodiametric; estipitate; sulcate on hilar side; smooth; apex unappendaged. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. North America: Subarctic.

NOTES Triticeae. CEH.

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