Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus caucasicus (K.Koch) Tzvelev

First published in Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 9: 61 (1972)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Caucasus to Iran. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50-100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 9-18 cm long; 3-7 mm wide; flaccid; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; drooping; bilateral; 9-11 cm long; bearing 4-5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Rhachis internodes linear; 20-24 mm long. Rhachis internode tip flat. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 20-24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 20-24 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 2-4 mm long; 0.5-0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 4-5 mm long; 0.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 10-12 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 25-30 mm long overall. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.
Reference
Triticeae. Fl Iran 1995.
[GB]

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
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0