Puccinellia poecilantha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 2 mm long; 0.66–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. 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: eastern. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Iran 1995.

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