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.

Elymus gobicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Roots woolly. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 60 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 6–8 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; pubescent, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 8–12 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Rhachis pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes 5–10 mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Spikelet callus base truncate. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.8 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; 6.7–7.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on veins. Lower glume apex entire, or with a unilateral tooth; acute. Upper glume oblong; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; 6.7–7.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous; hairy on veins. Upper glume apex entire, or with a unilateral tooth; acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate to oblong; 7–9 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma hairs 1 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned all along. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long; yellow, or purple. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 7 mm long; dark brown. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Triticeae. Yen & Yang 1996.

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