Puccinellia vitalii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or prostrate; 10–20 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.2–1.8 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; oblong; 2–6 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 7–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 1 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; lightly keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy at base. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus.

NOTES Poeae. Alexeev 2011.

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