Puccinellia arctica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 10–55 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2.5 mm long; glabrous on abaxial surface, or scaberulous on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; 4–9 cm long; 0.5–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.6–7 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; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.9–2.7 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1.1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Alaska 1994.

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