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 leiotropis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–90 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 3 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Leaf-sheaths loose; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 7–17 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 12–17 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; bilateral; 10–15 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes 7–15 mm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2–2.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 5–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acuminate; muticous. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 6–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 12–13 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above; glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma margins scaberulous. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 25–40 mm long overall. Palea 9 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous; adorned above. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 7 mm long; 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.