Puccinellia nipponica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–100 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes 3–20 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; white. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 7–20 cm long; 3.5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 3–6 -nate; 4–8 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4–6 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–3.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, China, and eastern Asia.

NOTES Poeae. CEH.

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