Puccinellia distans
Puccinellia angustata
European alkali grass, puccinellie a fleurs distantes, spreading alkali grass, weeping alkaligrass
narrow alkaligrass, puccinellie étroite, tall alkali grass
5-60 cm, erect to decumbent.
10-35 cm, erect to decumbent.
2.5-20 cm, diffuse at maturity, lower branches horizontal to descending, spikelets usually confined to the distal 2/3, pedicels scabrous, lacking tumid epidermal cells.
(4)5-10(13)cm, usually contracted, occasionally diffuse at maturity, lower nodes with 2-3(4) branches, lower branches erect to ascending, spikelets usually confined to the distal 1/2;
pedicels scabrous, lacking tumid epidermal cells.
2.5-7 mm, with 2-7 florets.
4-10 mm, with 3-5(6) florets.
rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute to truncate;
lower glumes 0.4-1.3 mm;
upper glumes 0.9-1.8 mm;
calluses with a few hairs;
lemmas 1.5-2(2.2) mm, mostly herbaceous, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the lower 1/2, principally along the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, apical margins hyaline and often yellowish, uniformly and densely scabrous, apices widely obtuse to truncate, entire;
palea veins shortly ciliate proximally, glabrous, sometimes scabrous distally;
anthers 0.4-0.8 mm.
rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute;
lower glumes 1.5-2.8 mm, usually less than 1/2 as long as the adjacent lemmas;
upper glumes 2.2-4.2 mm;
rachilla internodes slightly and gradually broadened to the point of attachment with the lemmas, at least the lowest internode usually more than 0.09 mm thick;
calluses with a few hairs;
lemmas 3.5-5.2 mm, herbaceous, often purplish, hairy on the proximal 1/2 along the veins, sometimes also between the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, apical margins hyaline, scabrous, apices acute, entire or erose;
palea veins with curly, intertwined hairs proximally, scabrous distally;
anthers (0.6) 0.8-1.1(1.5) mm.
0.8-1.2 mm, obtuse to truncate, usually entire;
blades 1-7 mm wide, flat to involute.
(0.8)1-3(4) mm, acute, obtuse, or truncate, entire;
blades usually involute and 0.5-1.2 mm in diameter, sometimes flat and 0.5-3 mm wide.
= 14, 28, 42.
= 42.
Puccinellia distans
Puccinellia angustata
Puccinellia distans is a Eurasian native, reportedly introduced in North America, where it is widespread, particularly as a weed in non-littoral environments, including the margins of salted roads. It is also found occasionally in coastal environments.
A specimen in the Smithsonian Institution attributed to Puccinellia tenuiflora (Griseb.) Scribn. & Merr. by Scribner and Merrill (1910) is a robust example of P. distans; others of this taxon in North America remain to be investigated. Puccinellia hauptiana (Trin. ex V.I. Krecz.) Kitag. has been reduced to P. distans subsp. hauptiana (Trin. ex V.I. Krecz.) W.E. Hughes. This taxon may represent a tetraploid component of P. distans; several specimens identified as P. hauptiana in Eurasia have a tetraploid chromosome count. Specimens from Alaska, the Yukon, and Saskatchewan, identified as P. hauptiana on the basis of their relatively narrow leaves (1-2 mm wide) and small anthers (0.5-0.6 mm), appear to be native in these regions and require further study with regard to their relationship with P. distans.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Puccinellia angustata is a common and widespread arctic species that grows in disturbed silty or sandy sediments. It is usually non-littoral, but when in coastal areas it grows above the influence of high tide.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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