97. Puccinellia Par1. Fl. Ital. 1: 366. 1848
Description
This section is from the book "An Illustrated Flora Of The Northern United States, Canada And The British Possessions Vol1", by Nathaniel Lord Britton, Addison Brown. Also available from Amazon: An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 Volume Set..
97. Puccinellia Par1. Fl. Ital. 1: 366. 1848
Perennial grasses, with flat or involute leaf-blades and contracted or open panicles. Spikelets 3-several-flowered. Lower scales empty, obtuse or acute, unequal; flowering scales obtuse or acute, rounded on the back, 5-nerved, the nerves very obscure or almost wanting. Palet about equalling the scale. Stamens 3. Styles wanting. Stigmas sessile, simply plumose. Grain compressed, usually adhering to the palet. [Name in honor of Benedetto Purcinelli, Italian botanist.]
About 14 species, in all temperate regions. Type species: Poa distans L.
Flowering scales 1 1/4" long or more; plants stoloniferous. | |||
Lower flowering scales 1 1/2"-2" long; spikelets commonly 4-many-flowered. | 1. P. | maritima. | |
Lower flowering scales not exceeding 1 1/2" long, usually less; spikelets generally 2-4-flowered. | |||
2. | P. | angustata. | |
Flowering scales less than 1 1/4" long; plants without stolons. | |||
Second empty scale less than one-half as long as the first flowering scale, broad, usually obtuse or truncate. | |||
Panicle-branches naked below, spikelet-bearing toward the apex; flowering scales 1" long or | |||
less, truncate at the apex. | 3. | P. | , distans. |
Panicle-branches spikelet-bearing to the base; flowering scales 1"-1 1/4" long, acutish or | |||
obtuse at the apex. | 4. | P. | fasciculata. |
Second empty scale more than one-half as long as the first flowering scale, usually narrow, obtuse | |||
or acute. | 5. | P. | axroides. |
1. Puccinellia maritima (Huds.) Parl.
Goose-Grass. Sea Spear-Grass
Fig. 643
Poa maritima Huds. Fl. Angl. 35. 1762. Glyccria maritima M. & K. Deutsch. Fl. 1: 588.
1823. Puccinellia maritima Parl. Fl. Ital. 1: 370. 1848.
Stoloniferous, smooth, glabrous, culms 6'-2° tall, erect, or decumbent at the base, simple. Sheaths usually exceeding the internodes; ligule 1/2"-1" long; blades 1/2'-5' long, 1" wide or less, flat to involute; panicle 2'-6' in length, open, the branches ascending, or rarely erect, 1'-2' long; spikelets 3-10-flowered, 3"-6" long; empty scales unequal, the first usually 1-nerved, the second 3-nerved; flowering scales 1 1/2"-2" long, broad, obtuse or truncate.
In salt marshes and on sea beaches, Nova Scotia to Rhode Island. Also on the Pacific coast, and on the coasts of Europe and Asia. Sea Meadow-grass. July-Aug.
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