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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Elymus obtusiusculus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–30 cm long; 2–7 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; bilateral; 6–22 cm long. Rhachis flattened; smooth on margins, or scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 1–1.2 their length apart; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 15–28 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 9–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 9–15 mm long; 0.9–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 9–15 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse; mucronate. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; elliptic; membranous. Anthers 3; 4–6.5 mm long; indehiscent. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern.

NOTES Triticeae. CEH.

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