Puccinellia ciliata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 10–25 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 25 cm long; 20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 3–6 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate; adorned above; with 0.66 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Turk 1993.

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