Puccinellia porsildii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 30–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 5–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–15 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.7–4 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 3.1–4.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 3–4.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; hairy on veins. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; adorned above; adorned sparsely. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3–1.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Subarctic.

NOTES Poeae. Circumpolar Fl 1994.

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