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 raroflorens

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 2–4.5 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; longer than adjacent culm internode; wider than blade at the collar; without keel; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.6 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 1–3 cm long; 0.2–0.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 4–12 fertile spikelets; shorter than basal leaves; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 1–1.6 cm long; 2–14 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches angular; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.4–0.5 mm long. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.1–1.4 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8–2.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein extending to apex. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate; adorned above; with 0.66 of their length adorned. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–0.6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.2–1.6 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand.

NOTES Poeae. Edgar 1995.

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