Elymus elymoides

HABIT Perennial. Culms 10–50 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 2–7(–10) cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear; falling with spikelet above.

Spikelets spreading; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster; heteromorphic (some with sterile lower floret).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets; 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; readily shedding fertile florets. Floret callus evident.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; similar; exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume subulate; 20–100 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1–2 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or lobed; 2 -fid. Upper glume subulate; 20–100 mm long; 1–2 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret subulate; 20–100 mm long; scabrous. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; spreading; 20–100 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea coriaceous. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Triticeae. WDC.

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