Puccinellia ladakhensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms geniculately ascending; 8–20 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 0.2–0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–10 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–3(–5) cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–1.8 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.2–3.5 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Fl China 2005.

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