Leymus racemosus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms robust; 50–100 cm long; 10–12 mm diam. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 5–15 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; bilateral; 7–15 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.

Spikelets in pairs, or in threes, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2–6 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 15–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 15–25 mm long; 1.5–1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 10–14 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and Mongolia. Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Triticeae. Fl Iran 1993.

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