GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Puccinellia kashmiriana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 6–23 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths loose; open for most of their length; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1–5 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1.3–3.5 cm long; 0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches reflexed; 2 -nate; 0.5–1.3 cm long; bearing 1–2 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 1.2–1.8 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3.2–3.5 mm long; 2 mm wide; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; purple; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein extending to apex. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: western Asia and China. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Poeae. Bor 1992.

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