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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Elymus magellanicus
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms geniculately ascending; 40–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20–30 cm long; 5–8 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 7–20 cm long. Rhachis ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear; 5–6 mm long. Rhachis internode tip flat.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 12–21 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 8–15 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 4–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; asymmetrical; 9–17 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; with scarious margins; without keels; 4–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough above. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–18 mm long; coriaceous; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 1–5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 6–7 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.
NOTES Triticeae. Fl Pat 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
