Puccinellia hispanica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms erect; 10–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3.5 mm long; 0.8–2.6 mm long on basal shoots; obtuse. Leaf-blades conduplicate; elliptic in section; 5–20 cm long; 0.6–1.1 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 2–3 inner ridges.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or pyramidal; straight; 3–25 cm long; 1.1–8.7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–4 -nate; whorled at most nodes. Panicle axis 8–16 noded; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or rhomboid; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 3–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–6.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins prominent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.4–3 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or purple; suffused with last colour; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma margins scabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.55–1 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern.

NOTES Poeae. Julia & Monts 2005.

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