Elymus scabrus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 25–120 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth, or antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–40 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 15–25 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–12 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 25–35 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 8–10 mm long; 0.66–0.8 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 12 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 12 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 30–40 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; elliptic; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Triticeae. Tothill 1993.

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