Puccinellia andersonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.7–3.2 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or pubescent on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 3–7 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 5–14 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.3–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6–2.2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex entire, or erose; acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex entire, or erose; obtuse, or acute. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.9–1.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic and eastern Canada.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Alaska 1994.

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