Puccinellia subspicata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 3–15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths tight; open for most of their length; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades curved; flat, or conduplicate; 1–2 mm wide; light green, or grey-green. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 1–5 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 4–5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; mid-green and purple; tipped with last colour; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia and China.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1995.

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