Poaceae

A. aucheri Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(13):41 (1854). Syn: A. vaginatus (Willd.) Boiss. subsp. aucheri (Boiss.) Westb. in Trudy Bot. Sada Jur'ev. 5:23 (1905)! Map 73.
Caespitose perennial with creeping rhizomes. Stems 20-60 cm, erect, or slightly geniculate at nodes. Leaf sheaths glabrous, uppermost inflated, lower sheath fibres reticulate; ligule c. 2 mm obtuse at apex; blades 3-15 cm x2-5(-6) mm, linear, acuminate, glabrous, smooth. Panicle 1.3-2.5 x 1-1.5 cm, elliptic-oblong. Spikelets 4.5-6.2 mm (incl. aristate point), urceolate, whitish-grey. Glumes lanceolate, terminating in a divergent or straight aristate point c. 1-2 mm, ciliate on keel and margins, shortly connate at base. Lemma 3-4 mm, oblong, truncate, glabrous, dorsally awned;awn 6.5-9(-10) mm, attached to lower 1/3 of lemma, geniculate or not, somewhat twisted below. Palea absent. Anthers 1.8-2.7 mm. Fl. 5-8. Rocky volcanic slopes near permanent snow beds, alpine meadows, 2000-3353 m.
Syntypes: [Iran] in monte Elbrus, Aucher 5457(G),ad nives deliquescentes ejusdem jugi supra pagum Asadbar, [9 vii 1843], Kotschy, Pl. Per. Bor. 464 (G!).
E.Anatolia. A8 Rize: above Cimil, 1866, Bal. B6 Sivas: Bey Da. S. of Zara, 2000 m, Stn. & Hend. 5285! Maraş,: Nurihak Da., 2000 m, Stn. & Hend. 5648! B8 Erzurum: Palandöken Da., Dadaş, Tatli (İSTE 27889)! B9 Bitlis: Nemrut Da., W. of Büyük G., 2500 m, Tatli (İSTE 27155)! B10 Kars: Ağri Da., 2440 m, 14viii 1910, B.Post! C9 Hakkari: Kara Da., 3353 m, D. 24416! ClOHak-kari: Sat Da. above Yüksekova, 2900 m, Duncan & Tait 81!
Caucasia, Transcaspia, Iran. Ir .-Tur. element. Allied to A. vaginatus but differing in its long-creeping rhizomes, whitish-grey spikelets covered with dense pilose indumentum and by the lowest sheaths disintegrating into retic-ulate fibres.