Elymus nutans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–110 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 6–20 cm long; 1.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate, or flexuous; bilateral; 5–15 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2(–3) in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 4–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 4–9 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–11 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 15–30 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, western Asia, China, and Mongolia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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