Elymus humilis (Keng & S. L. Chen) S. L. Chen

Culms laxly tufted, 20–25 cm tall, usually 2-noded, smooth, glabrous. Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, brown and fibrous at base when old; leaf blade usually involute, 2.5–5.5 (–10.5) × 0.1–0.4 cm, abaxial surface puberulent, adaxial surface pubescent. Spike slightly secund, 4.5–7 cm; rachis glabrous or puberulent, margin ciliate. Spikelets 1(or 2) per node, 8–13 mm excluding awns, with 3–5 florets; rachilla densely strigose. Glumes lanceolate, asymmetric, 2–5-veined, margin purplish membranous, apex acuminate to purplish pointed; proximal glume 7–10 mm including awn 1–3 mm; distal glume 8–11 mm including awn ca. 3 mm. Lemma lanceolate, distally scabrous, especially along veins, margin purplish membranous; first lemma 8–9 mm; callus with hairs 0.2–0.5 mm; awn erect, purplish, 2–5 mm. Palea equaling lemma, winged along keels, ciliate along wings, puberulent between keels, apex emarginate. Anthers purplish when young, ca. 2 mm. Fl. and fr. late summer.

* Roadsides. Qinghai, Xinjiang.

Roegneria humilis Keng & S. L. Chen, Acta Univ. Nankin. Sci. Nat. 1963(1): 40. 1963.