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

Culms solitary or tufted, erect, (15–)40–50 cm tall, 1- or 2-noded, glabrous. Leaf sheath glabrous; leaf blade flat, ± so, or involute, 6–8(–11) × to 0.5 cm, glabrous, scabrous, or densely hispidulous. Spike nodding, 6–8 cm excluding awns; rachis margin scabrous; internodes 3–10 mm. Spikelets 1 per node, purple, 12–15 mm excluding awns, with 2 or 3 florets; pedicel 0.5–1 mm, scabrous. Glumes narrowly lanceolate, subsymmetric, 1–3-veined, scabrous or smooth, apex with awn 3–7 mm; proximal glume 3–4 mm; distal glume 3–5 mm. Lemma oblong, smooth and glabrous or hirsutulous; first lemma ca. 10 mm; awn reflexed, 20–40 mm. Palea equaling lemma, hirsutulous throughout, ciliolate along keels. Anthers black, ca. 2 mm. Fl. and fr. late summer. 2n = 28*, 42*.

Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang.

* Mountain slopes, river banks; 1500–5200 m.