Puccinellia nutkaensis
Puccinellia andersonii
Alaska alkali grass, Nootka alkali grass, Pacific alkali grass, puccinellie brillante, shining alkali grass
Anderson's alkali grass
10-90 cm, usually erect, sometimes decumbent.
10-25 cm, usually decumbent or geniculate.
usually distributed evenly along the culms;
ligules 1-3 mm, obtuse to truncate, entire;
blades 1.5-6 mm wide when flat, flat to involute.
5-30 cm, compact to diffuse at maturity, lower branches usually erect to ascending, occasionally spreading to descending, spikelet-bearing from near the base or the spikelets confined to the distal 1/2;
pedicels from sparsely to densely scabrous, epidermal cells often tumid.
(3.5) 5-8 cm, diffuse or contracted at maturity, lowest node almost always with 2 branches, lower branches ascending to horizontal in fruit, spikelets usually confined to the distal 1/3;
pedicels smooth or scabrous, with tumid epidermal cells.
3.5-12 mm, with 3-7 florets.
5-7(9.5) mm, with (2)4-5(7) florets.
rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute to truncate;
lower glumes 1-1.6 mm;
upper glumes 2-3 mm;
calluses with a few hairs;
lemmas (2.2)3-4.5(5) mm, herbaceous, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the proximal 1/2, principally along the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, midveins smooth distally, apical margins uniformly and densely scabrous, apices usually acute to obtuse, sometimes acuminate, entire;
palea veins glabrous or with short hairs proximally, scabrous distally;
anthers 0.5-1.4 mm.
rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute;
lower glumes 1-2 mm;
upper glumes 2-3 mm, often borne distinctly above the lower glumes;
calluses glabrous or hairy;
lemmas (3) 3.2-4(4.5) mm, herbaceous or membranous, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the bases of the veins, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, apical margins smooth or scabrous, not white, apices usually acute, occasionally rounded, irregularly serrate or erose;
palea veins glabrous, smooth proximally, scabrous distally;
anthers 0.8-1.2 mm.
1-2.8(3.3) mm, acute, obtuse, or truncate, entire or slightly erose;
blades usually involute and 0.5-1 mm in diameter, sometimes flat and 0.8-2 mm wide.
= 42, 56.
= 56.
Puccinellia nutkaensis
Puccinellia andersonii
Puccinellia nutkaensis grows in coastal habitats of continental North America and Greenland, generally in sand and stones in protected intertidal environments. It is variable in form, ranging from diminutive plants that resemble P. pumila to tall, erect plants, often with dense or open inflorescences, resembling P. nuttalliana. Larger plants on the Pacific coast have been called P. grandis Swallen, and those on the Atlantic coast P. lucida Fernald & Weath., but there are many plants of intermediate stature.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Puccinellia andersonii is a widespread, coastal arctic species. It grows near the tideline and on otherwise barren, reworked marine sediments of eroded flood plains. Its decumbent growth form often gives it an unhealthy appearance. It is unique among Puccinellia species in the Flora region in having blunt, rather than pointed, scabrules in the apical region of its lemmas.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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