Puccinellia stricta

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 10–40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 4–10 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 5–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–10 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.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.7–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 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. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia and New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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