Puccinellia minuta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 2–5 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 0.5–4.5 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1–2 cm long; 0.3–0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; subacute to acute; 3–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 0.75–1 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2.2–2.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; mid-green and purple; bordered with last colour and tipped with last colour; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein extending to apex. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex emarginate; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.75–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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