Colpodium altaicum Trin.

Perennial, shortly rhizomatous, forming loose mats. Culms erect or ascending, 10–40 cm tall, 2–3-noded. Leaf sheaths closed up to middle, longer than internodes; leaf blades green, flat or sometimes folded, up to 8 cm × 2–5 mm, glabrous or rarely adaxial surface sparsely puberulous, apex obtuse or mucronate; ligule 2–4 mm. Panicle lanceolate to ovate in outline, 3–11 × 1–3 cm, fairly dense or lower branches spreading; branches paired. Spikelets 3.2–4.5 mm, floret 1(–2), usually purplish; glumes oblong-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, slightly shorter than or upper subequaling floret, lower glume 2.3–2.7 mm, upper glume 3.1–3.6 mm, apex subacute; lemma broadly oblong, as long as spikelet, 3-veined, lanate along lower veins, apex obtuse, irregularly toothed; palea as long as or longer than lemma, keels lanate; rachilla extension absent. Stamens 2; anthers 2–3 mm, dark purple. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug. 2n = 42.

Xinjiang [NE Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia (Siberia)].

Stony or gravelly mountain slopes; 2500–4800 m.

Catabrosa altaica (Trinius) Boisser; Paracolpodium altai-cum (Trinius) Tzvelev.