Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus viridulus (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. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 60-100 cm long; 1 mm diam.; 4 -noded; with 0.66-0.75 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode, or subequal to internodes; glabrous on surface, or pubescent; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long; scarious; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15-20 cm long; 2.5-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 1; single; erect, or drooping; bilateral; 7.5-9.5 cm long. Rhachis flattened; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes 6-13 mm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 14-28 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1-1.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets laterally compressed; 14-28 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1-1.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 7-10 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 4-6 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1-2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 7-10 mm long; coriaceous; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 4-6 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1-2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 10 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins scaberulous (above). Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight; 2-6 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Palea surface puberulous. Palea apex emarginate, or truncate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 2 mm long; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3; 4 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 2. Ovary pubescent on apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 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