Puccinellia convoluta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 3–14 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; elliptic; 8–15 cm long; 1–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 3–6 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.2 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–2.8 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or obovate; 3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above; with 0.66 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3–1.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central, southeastern, and eastern. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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