Leymus pendulus L. B. Cai

Plants with extended rhizomes. Culms erect or slightly geniculate below, 60–150 cm tall, 2–3 mm in diam., 4–6-noded, smooth. Leaf sheath glabrous or scabrous, basal ones persistent, usually disintegrating into fibers; ligule 2–3.5 mm, membranous, apex obtuse; leaf blade green, flat or involute, 5–22(–53) × 0.2–0.7 cm, both surfaces scabrous, margin sparsely spinulose or ciliate. Spikes pendent, brownish, very lax, 23–32 cm; rachis internodes 15–30 mm below middle, 6–12 mm distally, densely pubescent. Spikelets 2 or 3 per node, 1.1–1.5 cm, with 5–9 florets; rachilla internodes 1–1.5 mm, densely puberulent. Glumes linear-lanceolate, subequal, 9–11 mm, herbaceous, 1-veined, scabrous abaxially, margin sparsely ciliate above middle. Lemma lanceolate, obscurely 5-veined, sparsely spinulose abaxially, pubescent along or near margin; first lemma 6–9 mm, with slender awn 2–3 mm. Palea equaling or slightly longer than lemma, sparsely spinulose along keels, scabrous between keels, apex pointed or bifid. Anthers yellow or purplish, 2.5–3.5 mm. Caryopsis brown, apex pubescent.

Qinghai (Xining).

* Woodland margins, mountain valleys, bases of walls; 2300–2400 m.