Puccinellia frigida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 7–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 1–5 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.7 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–1.7 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Poeae. WDC 1995.

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