Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus arizonicus (Scribn. & J.G.Sm.) Gould

First published in Madroño 9: 125 (1947)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is California to Texas and Guatemala. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60-100 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-4 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2.5-6 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; flexuous; bilateral; 10-25 cm long. Rhachis flattened; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax. Rhachis internodes linear; 9-15 mm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes collateral; persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 8-10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0-8 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 8-10 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0-8 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10 mm long; coriaceous; 5-7 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 15-30 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma. 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
North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Triticeae. Gr Tex 1993.
[GB]

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