Glyceria pulchella

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 40–100 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; retrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; united; oblong; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic and western Canada.

NOTES Meliceae. Fl Alaska 1994.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.