Puccinellia roborovskyi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.8–2 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 0.5–1.2 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth, or scaberulous above.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–10 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches 3–6 cm long; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scabrous; rough distally.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.8–4.2 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pilose; hairy at base. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; eciliate, or ciliolate; adorned with hairs above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China.

NOTES Poeae. Pl Cent Asia 1996.

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