Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus edelbergii (Melderis) O.Andersson & Podlech

First published in Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 12: 313 (1976)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Afghanistan. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 30-90 cm long; 1-4 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2-1 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 6.5-11 cm long; 2.5-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; bilateral; 8-12.5 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scaberulous on margins; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Rhachis internodes linear. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8-14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 8-14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 6-8.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1-3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 7.5-10 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1-3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 7-9.5 mm long; coriaceous. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or curved; 10-30 mm long overall. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface puberulous; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: western Asia.
Reference
Triticeae. Melderis 1994.
[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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[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

  • 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