Puccinellia festuciformis

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect; 35–90 cm long. Culm-internodes glaucous. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 7–22 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; secund; 12–21 cm long; 3–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 4–6 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2.7–3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or obovate; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex erose; truncate. 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; 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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