New! - Search other data sources for Leymus leptostachyus

Help - Wrong Description?

Kew Data Sources

Kew's Herbarium Catalogue
ePIC - Electronic Plant Information Centre

External Data Sources

Note - this takes you off of our website
Use your browser's back button to return to this page

GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leymus leptostachyus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 35–60 cm long; 1.2–2 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades involute; 5–18 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; linear; bilateral; 6–13 cm long; 5–7.5 mm wide. Rhachis villous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Rhachis internodes 5–8 mm long.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1–2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–1 mm long; scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 8–10.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–4 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–10.5 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3–4 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–3 mm long overall. Palea 6–7.5 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4.2–4.7 mm long; yellow. Ovary pubescent on apex.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Cai & Su 2009.

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