Elymus tauri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–55 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; involute, or convolute; 5–15 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; bilateral; 4–8 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 4–7 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened; smooth on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 10–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 5–8 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate to oblong; 8–9 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma apex emarginate, or truncate, or acute; muticous. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and western Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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