Puccinellia nutkaensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms 20–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–3.5 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 8–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1–3 cm long. Panicle branches smooth, or with occasional prickles.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.2–2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.6 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy at base. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–1.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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