Puccinellia distans
Puccinellia wrightii
European alkali grass, puccinellie a fleurs distantes, spreading alkali grass, weeping alkaligrass
Wright's alkali grass
5-60 cm, erect to decumbent.
15-40 cm, erect.
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.
5-8 cm, open and diffuse at maturity, lowest node usually with long branches, lower branches ascending, horizontal, or descending, spikelets usually confined to the distal 73;
pedicels glabrous and smooth, lacking tumid epidermal cells.
2.5-7 mm, with 2-7 florets.
4-7 mm, with 4-5 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.
narrow, not enfolding the base of the lower lemmas, rounded over the back, veins obscure or distinct, apices acute to obtuse;
lower glumes 1.7-3 mm, usually less than 2/3 as long as the adjacent lemmas;
upper glumes 2.5-4 mm;
rachilla internodes abruptly or 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 4-5 mm, mostly herbaceous, hairy along and between the veins on the proximal 1/2, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure or distinct, not extending to the margins, apical margins hyaline, smooth, apices acute, entire, becoming erose with age;
palea veins with curly, intertwined hairs proximally, these hairs rarely lacking, scabrous distally;
anthers 1.5-2.5 mm.
0.8-1.2 mm, obtuse to truncate, usually entire;
blades 1-7 mm wide, flat to involute.
1.5-3 mm, acute to obtuse, entire;
blades 2-8 mm wide, flat or folded.
= 14, 28, 42.
= 14.
Puccinellia distans
Puccinellia wrightii
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 wrightii is an uncommon arctic species. Its range extends from the Chukotka Peninsula in the Russian Far East to western Alaska. Like P. vahliana, its roots are characteristically thicker and more tightly curled than those of other Puccinellia species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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