MANUAL OF THE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 77 



6. PUCCINELLIA Pari. Alkali-grass 



Spikelets several-flowered, usually terete or subterete, the rachilla dis- 

 articulating above the glumes and between the florets; glumes unequal, 

 shorter than the first lemma, obtuse or acute, rather firm, often scarious at 

 tip, the first 1-nerved or sometimes 3-nerved, the second 3-nerved; lemmas 

 usually firm, rounded on the back, obtuse or acute, rarely acuminate, usually 

 scarious and often erose at the tip, glabrous or puberulent toward base, rarely 

 pubescent on the nerves, 5-nerved, the nerves parallel, indistinct, rarely rather 

 prominent; palea about as long as the lemma or somewhat shorter. Low pale 

 smooth tufted annuals or perennials with narrow to open panicles. Type 

 species, Puccinellia distans. Named for Prof. Benedetto Puccinelli. 



The species of the interior are grazed by stock. One, P. airoides, furnishes 

 considerable forage in the regions where it is common. A form of this, called 

 Zawadke alkali-grass, is cultivated in Montana. 



Lemmas obtuse, pubescent on the nerves for half or three-fourths their length. Dwarf 



annual 1. P. parishii. 



Lemmas glabrous or, if pubescent, the hairs not confined to the nerves. 



Panicles narrow, strict, the branches appressed, mostly with one spikelet ; annual, mostly 



less than 20 cm. tall ; lemmas acute, more or less pubescent _ 2. P. simplex. 



Panicles narrow or open, not strict; annual or perennial; lemmas glabrous or pubescent 

 only at base. 

 Panicles ellipsoid, rather compact, less than 10 cm. long, the branches floriferous nearly 

 to base. Lemmas rather coriaceous; culms rather stout. 



Spikelets 5 to 8 mm. long; lemmas 3 to 3.5 mm. long 3. P. rupestris. 



Spikelets 3 to 4 mm. long; lemmas 2 to 2.5 mm. long 4. P. fasciculata. 



Panicles pyramidal or elongate, some of the branches naked below, or reduced, narrow, 

 and few-flowered. 

 Leaves mostly in a short basal tuft, the blades involute, 5 to 10 cm. long. Panicle 5 

 to 10 cm. long, open and spreading; lemmas 3.5 mm. long, glabrous, acute. 



5. P. LEMMONI. 

 Leaves distributed, not in a basal tuft. 



Anthers about 2 mm. long; lemmas 4 to 5 mm. long, pubescent at base. 



6. P. MARITIMA. 

 Anthers 1 mm. long or less. 



Lemmas about 2 mm. long (2 to 3 mm. in P. airoides); panicle open; the slender 

 branches spreading or reflexed. 

 Lemmas broad, obtuse or truncate, not narrowed above; lower panicle branches 



usually reflexed..... 7. P. distans. 



Lemmas narrow, narrowed into an obtuse apex; panicle branches spreading, 



usually not reflexed 8. P. airoides. 



Lemmas 3 to 4 mm. long; panicle narrow, the branches ascending or finally 

 spreading. 

 Plants lax, usually 10 to 30 cm. tall; panicle 5 to 10 cm. long, the branches 



finally spreading, glabrous 9. P. pumila. 



Plants usually 50 to 90 cm. tall; panicle 10 to 20 cm. long, the branches ascend- 

 ing or appressed, scabrous 10. P. grandis. 



1. Puccinellia parishii Hitchc. 

 (Fig. 77.) Annual; culms 3 to 10 cm. 

 tall; blades flat to subinvolute, less 

 than 1 mm. wide; panicle narrow, 

 few-flowered, 1 to 4 cm. long; spike- 



l j. o -l n n Joi.r i Figure 77. — Puccinellia parishii. 



lets 3- to 6-fiowered, 3 to 5 mm. long; Panicle, x i; floret, x 10. (T ype .) 



lemmas about 2 mm. long, obtuse to 



truncate, scarious and somewhat 



erose at the tip, pubescent on the mid 



and lateral nerves nearly to the apex, 



and on the intermediate nerves about 



half way. O — Marshes, California 



