Puccinellia harcusiana

HABIT Annual. Stolons absent, or present. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; slender; 24–30 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 8–12 cm long; 1–1.3 mm wide.

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

Panicle open; lanceolate; 7–14 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–5 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–11 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. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–3.3 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4.2–8 mm long; 1.4–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein falling short of apex. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 3–4 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned below; with 0.5 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1.1 mm long; pallid.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Australia 2010.

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