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Descriptions

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

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

Elymus altissimus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 150–200 cm long; 2 mm diam.; 5–6 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; scarious; truncate. Leaf-blades 25–41 cm long; 6–10 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 22 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; erect, or ascending; bilateral; 15–18 cm long. Rhachis flattened; glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes 12–20(–30) mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 10–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 5 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous. Upper glume oblong; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; muticous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy at base. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 20 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above; with 0.33 of their length adorned. Palea apex emarginate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex unappendaged. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Chen 2001.

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