荒漠早熟禾 huang mo zao shu he

Perennials, densely tufted; shoots with bulbous bases. Culms (2–)8–60 cm tall, erect, base with swollen, withered leaf sheaths. Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, uppermost culm sheath closed for 1/4 length; blade flat or folded, thin, 2–15 cm, 1–3 mm wide, surfaces and margins scabrid, apex slender prow-tipped; ligules 1.5–3 mm, apex obtuse, rounded, of tillers 0.7–1.5 mm. Panicle loosely contracted to open, oblong to pyramidal, well exserted, 2–10 cm; branches obliquely ascending or spreading, 2–3(–4) per node, smooth, longest with sparse to moderately crowded spikelets. Spikelets green or apices purple, ovate to elliptic, (3–)4–7 mm, florets 2–4(–6); vivipary present or absent; glumes unequal, lower glume 2–3 mm, 1-veined, upper glume wider, 3–3.5 mm, 3-veined; lemmas elliptic to lanceolate, 2–3.5(–4) mm, veins glabrous throughout, keel and marginal veins scabrid; callus glabrous; palea keels scabrid. Anthers (0.6–)1.2–2 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr–May.

Juniperus forests, among shrubs, mountainous areas, dry grassy places on slopes, stony and silty slopes, desert grasslands; 400–4000 m. Xinjiang, Xizang [Afghanistan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia (Iran)].

This species is uncommon or rare in the mountains of far W and NW China.