Puccinellia nuttalliana
Puccinellia phryganodes
Nuttall alkaligrass, Nuttall's alkali grass
creeping alkaligrass, goose grass, puccinellie rampante, puccinellie trompeuse
10-100 cm, usually erect.
2-15 cm, erect or decumbent.
either concentrated at the base or distributed along the culms;
ligules 1-3 mm, obtuse, usually entire, sometimes slightly erose;
blades 1-4 mm wide, flat to involute.
5-30 cm, compact to diffuse at maturity, usually distinctly exserted from the sheaths, lower branches usually erect to diverging, occasionally descending, spikelet-bearing from the base or on the distal 2/3;
pedicels scabrous, lacking tumid epidermal cells.
usually not developed, if developed, 1-7 cm, diffuse, lower branches ascending, spikelets usually confined to the distal 1/3;
pedicels scabrous, usually with tumid epidermal cells.
3.5-9 mm, with 2-7 florets.
6-9 mm, with 3-6(7) florets.
rounded over the back, veins obscure, apices acute to obtuse;
lower glumes 0.5-1.5 mm, usually less than 1/2 as long as the adjacent lemmas;
upper glumes 1-2.8 mm;
rachilla internodes slightly and gradually broadened to the point of attachment with the lemmas;
calluses with a few hairs;
lemmas (2)2.2-3(3.5) 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, smooth distally, lateral margins inrolled or not, apical margins uniformly and densely scabrous, apices acute to obtuse, entire;
palea veins glabrous, short-ciliate, or with a few long hairs proximally, smooth or scabrous distally;
anthers 0.6-2 mm.
rounded or slightly keeled over the back, veins obscure or distinct, apices acute or obtuse;
lower glumes 1.5-2.2 mm;
upper glumes 2.3-2.8 mm;
calluses glabrous or almost so;
lemmas 3.2-3.8(4.5) mm, membranous, usually glabrous, occasionally sparsely hairy, backs rounded, 5-veined, veins obscure, not extending to the margins, apices acute or rounded, apical margins whitish, hyaline, smooth, entire;
palea veins glabrous;
anthers (1.5)2-2.5 mm, aimost always indehiscent, mature pollen rarely produced.
rarely developed.
0.4-1.5 mm, acute, obtuse, or truncate, entire;
blades 0.4-2.2 mm wide when flat, 0.2-1 mm in diameter when involute.
= 28, 42, 56.
= 21, 28.
Puccinellia nuttalliana
Puccinellia phryganodes
Puccinellia nuttalliana is a widespread and variable species, restricted to the Flora region. It grows principally in the interior, but is also found in coastal settings, where it is difficult to distinguish from P. nutkaensis. Northern, primarily boreal or southern arctic populations with relatively short lemmas and anthers (2-2.8 mm and 0.6-0.9 mm, respectively), and with a few long hairs on the lower palea veins, have sometimes been recognized as P. borealis Swallen.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Puccinellia phryganodes is a widespread and common circumpolar arctic species that grows on seashores at or near the high tide line, in wet saline meadows, and in saline or brackish marshes.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
KS Wildflowers, 
MN Wildflowers, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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