Common name: Australian Saltmarsh Grass
Puccinellia stricta (Hook.f.) C.H.Blom APNI* Synonyms: Puccinellia stricta (Hook.f.) C.H.Blom var. stricta APNI*
Description: Tufted annual to 0.6 m high.
Sheath loosely enclosing culm, smooth, glabrous; ligule membranous, 1–3.5 mm long, acute; Leaves with blade rolled or folded when dry, to 0.3 cm wide, smooth, glabrous.
Inflorescence open, 10–25 cm long; branches to 7 cm long, appressed at first, later spreading; rachis scabrous, glabrous; pedicel 1–10 mm long, scabrous, glabrous. Spikelets 6–8 mm long, to 2 mm wide, florets 5–8, bisexual, upper florets often reduced. Glumes unequal, acute, smooth, glabrous; lower 1.5–3 mm long; upper 2–4.5 mm long. Lemmas 2.5–4 mm long, smooth, glabrous, apex obtuse with the midnerve extended into a short, broad triangular projection < 0.5 mm long; palea slightly shorter than lemma, 2-keeled, keels scabrous.
Flowering: Flowers in spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows in salt marshes in coastal areas or on saline soils near brackish water in the inland.
NSW subdivisions: ST, SWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B.
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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