Poaceae
Elymus

Elymus alienus (Keng) S.L.Chen

First published in Novon 7: 277 (1997)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is N. & E. China. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 30-90 cm long; 3-6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; with reflexed hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 12-20 cm long; 4-9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 23-35 cm long. Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; bilateral; 7-15 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. 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; 14-17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1-2.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.4-0.6 mm long.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 4-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic to oblong; laterally compressed; 14-17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1-2.5 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent. Floret callus hairs 0.4-0.6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar. Lower glume lanceolate; 7-8 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3-6 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8-10 mm long; coriaceous; without keels; 3-6 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9-10 mm long; coriaceous; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lemma margins scabrous. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn straight, or curved; 10-25 mm long overall. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate; adorned above. Palea apex obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long; yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: China.
Reference
Triticeae. Fl China 2005.
[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

  • 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