Puccinellia beringensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls inconspicuous. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent, or prostrate; 5–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–3 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–7 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; oblong, or ovate; 3–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; 2–6 -nate. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 0.4–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate, or obovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy at base. Lemma apex erose; truncate, or obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.4 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east.

NOTES Poeae. Zlaki 1997.

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