Elymus caucasicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 9–18 cm long; 3–7 mm wide; flaccid; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; drooping; bilateral; 9–11 cm long; bearing 4–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Rhachis internodes linear; 20–24 mm long. Rhachis internode tip flat.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 20–24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 2–4 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 4–5 mm long; 0.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10–12 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 25–30 mm long overall. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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