柯孟披碱草 ke meng pi jian cao

Culms laxly tufted, erect or geniculate at base, (30–)50–100 cm tall. Leaf sheath usually glabrous but margin usually ciliate; ligule ca. 0.5 mm, apex truncate; leaf blade flat or involute, 5–40 × (0.1–)0.3–13 cm, glabrous, scabrous. Spike nodding, rarely erect, (2.5–)7–20 cm; rachis internodes 8–16(–25) mm. Spikelets 1 per node, green or purplish green, (10–)13–25 mm excluding awns, with (3–)5–8 florets; rachilla puberulent; internodes (1.5–)2–2.5 mm. Glumes ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 3–5(–7)-veined, margin broadly scarious, apex with awn 2–7 mm, more rarely acute and awnless; proximal glume 4–8 mm; distal glume 5–9 mm. Lemma lanceolate, glabrous to hispidulous, margin membranous; first lemma 8–11 mm; callus puberulent to hispidulous; awn erect or slightly reflexed, 18–40 mm. Palea slightly shorter than or equaling lemma, margin distinctly winged, apex subrounded or obtuse. Fl. and fr. May–Jul.

Forest margins, mountain slopes, roadsides; 100–2300 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang,Henan, Hubei, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Russia (Far East)].

Some authors consider Elymus tsukushiensis Honda (Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 1: 391. 1936), described from Japan, to be conspecific with E. kamoji, described from China, in which case the name E. tsukushiensis would have priority.

Two varieties occur in China. In addition, Elymus kamoji var. in-termedius S. L. Chen & Y. X. Jin (Bull. Nanjing Bot. Gard. 1987: 10. 1988) perhaps also merits recognition. It is characterized by having different leaf epidermis, glumes with an awn ca. 4 mm, and lemmas with a robust, straight, rough awn.