Elymus tianschanicus Drobow in Vvedensky et al., Key Fl. Tashkent 1: 44. 1923, not (Drobow) Nevski (1934); Aneuro-lepidium tianschanicum (Drobow) Nevski.

Culms solitary or tufted, 70–120 cm tall, 3–6 mm in diam., 3- or 4-noded, smooth, glabrous, or slightly scabrous only below raceme. Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous; ligule 2–3 mm, membranous, apex rounded; leaf blade flat or rolled, 20–40 × 0.5–0.9 cm, stiff, glabrous or margin scabrous. Spike erect, 20–35 × ca. 1 cm; rachis densely pubescent, margin ciliate; internodes 0.6–2 cm. Spikelets 2 or 3 per node, 1.5–1.9 cm, with 3–5 florets; rachilla densely puberulent; internodes ca. 3 mm. Glumes not covering base of lemma, linear-lanceolate, equaling or slightly longer than spikelet, margin narrowly membranous at base, apex mucronate to acuminate. Lemma oblong-lanceolate, 5-veined, pubescent, margin ciliate, apex mucronate; first lemma 10–12 mm; callus villous; awn 1–3 mm. Palea shorter than or equaling lemma, margin ciliolate. Anthers ca. 5 mm. Ovary white puberulent at apex. Fl. and fr. Jun–Oct.

This species is used for forage.

Mountain slopes. Nei Mongol, Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].