Leymus pluriflorus

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 65–120 cm long; 2–4 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–28 cm long; 5–7 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.

Racemes 1; single; erect; linear, or oblong; bilateral; 13–20 cm long; 12–24 mm wide. Rhachis flattened; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; contiguous; with lowest internode elongated. Rhachis internodes 9–18 mm long.

Spikelets in threes, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 3–4 in the cluster. Pedicels 1–5 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 14–28 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.5–1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 11–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–15 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–14 mm long; chartaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 9–12 mm long; 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above. Palea surface glabrous. Palea apex emarginate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–4 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 6 mm long; light brown.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Cai & Zhang 2009.

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