Elymus pungens

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 40–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths puberulous; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2.5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins unthickened. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 7–25 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 10–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 6.5–9.6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 6.5–9.6 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 8.5–11 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 3–4.5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Australasia: Australia. North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, and northeast USA.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Eur 1995.

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