Puccinellia stapfiana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths open for most of their length. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–10 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 6–11 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 2–3 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5–2.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 2–2.8 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein extending to apex. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous; adorned above. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Poeae. Fl Pak 1993.

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