Hordeum bogdanii Wilensky

1700-4000m.

Tufted perennial; culms (15-) 30-80 (-100) cm high, erect or geniculately ascending. Leaf-blades up to 18 cm long, 2-6.5 mm wide, scabrid. Spike slender, (2-)3.5-9(-9.5) cm long, glaucous or greenish-violet to dark violet; rhachis slightly scabrid on the margins, tough below but fragile above at maturity. Central spikelets sessile; glumes setaceous, (4-)5.5-10(-11) mm long, scabrid; lemma lanceolate, (4.3-) 5-7.5 mm long, scabrid to appressed puberulous; awn (4-) 5.3-11(-13) mm long anthers 1.4-2.4 mm long. Lateral spikelets usually well developed, rarely rudimentary, male or bisexual, pedicellate; glumes setaceous, (4-) 6-10(-11) mm long, scabrid; lemma (-4)5-7 mm long.

Plants perennial, tufted. Culms 40–80(–100) cm tall, ca. 2 mm in diam., (2 or)3–5(or 6)-noded, densely appressed hairy at nodes. Leaf sheath membranous or fibrous, smooth, but those of lower leaves sometimes hairy; ligule 0.2–0.6 mm, membranous; auricles usually absent; leaf blade glaucous green, flat, 6–15 × 0.3–0.8(–1) cm, stiff, both surfaces scabrous or adaxial surface pilose. Spike pale whitish glaucous or greenish violet to somewhat dark violet, 4–10 × (0.3–)0.5–0.7 cm; rachis usually tough except apically, margin scabrous hairy. Lateral spikelets:pedicellate, male or perfect and setting seeds; glumes setaceous, rarely somewhat flattened at base, equal or proximal one slightly shorter (6–10 mm); lemma 5–7 mm, pubescent, awn 4–9 mm; palea usually equaling lemma. Central spikelet: sessile, lanceolate; glumes setaceous, 5–10 mm; lemma 5–7 mm, densely shortly hairy, awn 5–10 mm; palea subequaling lemma, apex truncate or acute. Anthers usually yellow, 1.1–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep. 2n = 14.

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan, Gilgit & Kashmir); Southeast Europe eastwards through southern USSR to Mongolia and northern China.

Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia (W Siberia), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].

Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-September.

Alkaline or saline moist meadows, riverside sands, pebbles; 1000–3800 m.

Critesion bogdanii (Wilensky) A. Löve.