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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Puccinellia maritima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Culms erect, or decumbent, or prostrate; 10–80 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; without keel; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute; hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate, or ovate; 3–25 cm long; 0.4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–4 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.8 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2–3 mm long. Embryo 0.2 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, central, southwestern, and eastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. North America: Subarctic, eastern Canada, northwest USA, northeast USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Poeae. CEH.

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