Puccinellia intermedia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 6–15 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 13–17 cm long; 3–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–5 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or obovate; 2.5–2.8 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below. Lemma apex erose; truncate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned all along, or above; with 0.66–1 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: central 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.