Elymus cordilleranus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes constricted; brown. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.7 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 11–14 cm long; 5 mm wide. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear; 6–7 mm long.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 16–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.5–2.8 mm long. Floret callus disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 11 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 11 mm long; 0.6–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–18 mm long; coriaceous; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–1.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, and southern South America.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Costaric 1993.

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