Puccinellia nuttalliana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface; obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 6–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes; 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.3–2 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3.2 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Siberia and Soviet far east. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA.

NOTES Poeae. =Puccinellia airoides. Fl Pac NW 1994.

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