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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Puccinellia distans
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent, or prostrate; 10–60 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; without keel; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute; hooded.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; ovate; 3–18 cm long; 2–14 cm wide. Primary panicle branches reflexed; naked below. Panicle branches scabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 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; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; mid-green, or purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north and south. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, and Mongolia. Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.
NOTES Poeae. CEH.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
