Elymus diversiglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 70–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 15–40 cm long; 5–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; bilateral; 10–20 cm long. Rhachis flattened; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes oblong; 3–10 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume subulate; 2–20 mm long; 1 length of upper glume. Upper glume subulate; 2–20 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 15–40 mm long overall. Palea 7.5–9 mm long. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, and northwest USA.

NOTES Triticeae. Gleason 2004.

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