Puccinellia tenuissima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 20–50 cm long; 0.2–0.5 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.7–1 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–1.7 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, and China.

NOTES Poeae. Fl USSR 1995.

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