Poaceae

A. cristatum (L.) Gaertner in Novi Comment. Acad. Sci. Petrop. 14:540 (1770). Syn: Bromus cristatus L., Sp. Pl. 78 (1753)! Triticum cristatum (L.) Schreber, Beschr. Gras. 2:12, t. 23 f. 2 (1772)!
Stems 20-70 cm, ± pubescent. Leaf blades usually 1.5-3 mm broad, scab-rid or pilose on upper surface, glabrous beneath or pubescent on both sides. Spike ovate, narrowly ovate, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 1.5-5 cm, sometimes tinged purple. Glumes 3-5 mm, with 2-3 mm awn. Lemma 5-7 mm, with 3-4 mm awn.
1. Rachis fragile at maturity; spikelets closely pressed together; lemma densely pilose subsp. incanum
1. Rachis tough; spikelets with distinct gaps between them; lemma glabrous or sparsely pilose subsp. pectinatum
2. Spikelets glabrous var. pectinatum
2. Spikelets sparsely pilose var. imbricatum
subsp. incanum (Nâb.) Melderis in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 42:77 (1984). Syn: A. cristatum (L.) Gaertner var. incanum Nâb. in Publ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Masaryk Brno 111 :26 (1929)! Ic: Nâbelek in Publ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Masaryk Brno 105 : t. 4 f. 2 (1929). Fl & fr. 6-9. Scree, rocky mountain slopes, montane steppe, 2600-3350 m.
Syntypes: [Turkey C9 Hakkari] Ğelo-Dar (Cilo Da.) dit. Ğuiamerik (Hakkari) ad tentoria aestiva Djezza in fissuris rupium calcar. nigrarum, 2900 m, 3 x 1910,Nâbelek 3413, 3373 (BRA!).
E. Anatolia. A7/8 Trabzon/Erzurum: 'Armenia' (probably between Erzu-rum and Trabzon), 1867, Calvert & Zohrab (with Eremopyrum orientale)\ A9 Erzurum: Olty (Oltu), Albussar Da., 2800 m, Sosnowsky 18! B9 Bitlis: Pelli Da. above Pelli, 3050 m, D. 22489! Van: d. Gevaş, Artos Da., 3350 m, D. 22864! C10 Van: 41 km N.E. of Çaldıran, 2700-2900 m, Sorger 81-74-14! Hakkari: Cilo Da., 10 km W. of Cilo Tepe, 3200 m, D. 24128!
Caucasia, Iran; probably also in C. Asia. Ir.-Tur. element. Subspp. sabul-osum Lavrenko, brandzae (Pantu & Solac.) Melderis, ponticum (Nevski) Tzvelev and sclerophyllum Novopokr. ex Tzvelev are found in eastern Europe (Ukraine, S.E. Russia, Crimea, Bulgaria and Romania); subsp. cristatum occurs in C. & E. Asia.