Elymus libanoticus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms slender; 25–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 7–15 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface puberulous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins (above). Lower glume apex acuminate to setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acuminate to setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. 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: western Asia.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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