Puccinellia phryganodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 5–15 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2–7 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 1.5–3 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.7–8.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long; smooth.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.3–3.7 mm long; chartaceous; 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; 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern and eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia and Soviet far east. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, and eastern Canada.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Alaska 1994.

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