Elymus antiquus (Nevski) Tzvelev

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Pusalkar, P.K., Singh, D.K. & Srivastava, S.K. (2008). Elymus gangotrianus (Poaceae: Pooideae: Triticeae), a new species from the western Himalaya, India. Kew Bulletin 63: 507. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-008-9046-6

Type

India, Uttaranchal, Gangotri National Park, Kedar Ganga valley, inter Gangotri et Kedar Kharak, 7 Aug. 2003, Pusalkar 104252 (holotypus BSD!; isotypus CAL!).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, rhizomatous grass; butt sheath brown

Morphology Culms

Culms erect or ascending, 30 – 92 cm tall, 3 – 5-noded; internodes smooth, glabrous; nodes hairy or puberulous

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Leaf-sheaths glabrous; ligule membranous, 1 – 1.2 mm long, lacerate; leaf blades linear, up to 25 cm long, up to 7 mm broad, acuminate, surface subglabrous to sparsely hairy above, sparsely hairy beneath

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a lax, solitary, slender, drooping, bilateral, 10 – 25 cm long raceme, with 5 – 14 nodes; rachis flattened, glabrous on surface, scabrous to hairy on margins; spikelets green, solitary or sometimes 2 (Pusalkar 102379) in some part of the raceme, linear to lanceolate, laterally compressed, 3 – 3.5 cm long excluding awns

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets with 5 – 6 fertile florets and terminal, solitary, sterile floret with reduced lemma and without palea, anthers and carpel Rachilla internodes up to 5 mm long, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Upper glume lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 4 – 8 mm long, acute to acuminate, coriaceous, surface subglabrous to asperulous, 3-veined or often with 4th vein reaching half the length of glume Glumes unequal, less than 2/3 the length of the lower lemma Lower glume oblong to lanceolate, 3 – 7 mm long, shorter than upper glume, acute to acuminate, 3-veined, surface subglabrous to asperulous, often scabrous on veins above, coriaceous, rounded at the back

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma

Fertile floret lemma lanceolate, 10 – 13 mm long, green or creamy-yellow, coriaceous, rounded at the back, shortly keeled above, 5-veined, surface scabrous on back and veins, apex acute, 1-awned; awn curved at maturity, 12 – 28 mm long, scabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea

Palea 3/4 the length of lemma, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 6 – 10 mm long, apex rounded, 2-veined, surface glabrous to puberulous, often scabrous above; palea keels glabrous below, scabrous at top

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Uppermost floret in each spikelet usually sterile, with only lemmas without paleas, stamens and carpel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Lodicules

Lodicules 2, membranous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 3, 1.2 – 2.2 mm long, yellow or creamy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma 2

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis not observed.

Distribution

India.

Ecology

Growing in partially shady places and on open slopes; 3200 – 3800 m.

Conservation

Least concern (LC). Though the species is not very common, its population is not threatened as it occurs in an in situ conservation area.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting July – Sept.

Note

Elymus gangotrianus can be easily distinguished from E. microlepis in having a green or creamy-yellow lemma with scabrid surface; palea 3/4 the length of lemma; palea keels glabrous below, scabrous above and yellow or creamy anthers. The species is named after the type locality in Gangotri National Park, India.