Elymus repens

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 30–120 cm long; 1–2 mm diam.; 3–5 -noded. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–1 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 6–30 cm long; 3–10 mm wide; stiff to firm. Leaf-blade surface ungrooved; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous to pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; bilateral; 5–20 cm long. Rhachis flattened; pubescent on surface (sparsely); scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; 3–6 mm wide; falling entire. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; muticous to mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7–12 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; muticous to mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate to oblong; 8–13 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–10 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea lanceolate; 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; elliptic; membranous. Anthers 3; 4 mm long. Stigmas 2; protandrous; laterally exserted. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; estipitate; without sulcus; 5 mm long; smooth; apex unappendaged. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 0.9 length of caryopsis. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, and south. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: northwestern. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Brazil and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Triticeae. CEH.

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