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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 melantherus
HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Culms 20–30 cm long; 1–2 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes constricted; brown. Leaf-sheaths loose; 8–10 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate; 3 mm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; brown; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2.5–8 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy abaxially.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.
Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 4–7 cm long; 10–15 mm wide. Rhachis glabrous on surface to pubescent on surface; glabrous on margins, or ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear; 1.5–3 mm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–2 mm long; pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or curved; 2–4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliate. Palea surface pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.5 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.
NOTES Triticeae. Keng 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
