Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus glaberrimus (Keng & S.L.Chen) S.L.Chen

First published in Bull. Nanjing Bot. Gard. 1987: 9 (1988)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Xinjiang to Qinghai. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Roots woolly. Culms erect; 80 cm long; 1-2 mm diam.; 3 -noded; with 0.25-0.33 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; scarious. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 8-15 cm long; 3-4 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; straight; bilateral; 8-12 cm long; bearing 6-11 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis flattened; smooth on surface; glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes 7-17 mm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 13-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5-2 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus glabrous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 13-15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5-2 mm long; glabrous. Floret callus glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 4-6 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex entire, or with a unilateral tooth; acute; muticous. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 5.5-7.5 mm long; coriaceous; with membranous margins; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex entire, or with a unilateral tooth; acute; muticous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 10-20 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 5 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex; apex unappendaged. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: China.
Reference
Triticeae. Chen 2001.
[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: 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