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 nuristanicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with soft dead sheaths. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–60 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 15 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 10–15 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; firm; light green. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 15 cm long; bearing 7–8 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip flat.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 17–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 13 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 12–13 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 20–25 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Afghan 1997.

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