Puccinellia distans

Species category

Revegetation or Rangeland, Weed

Common name

weeping alkaligrass

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

EllipticElliptic:
Outline of an ellipse; greatest width midway sloping to an equally pointed apex and base.

Size

  • Length 1.8–2 mm
  • Width 0.5–0.8 mm
  • Thickness 0.4–0.6 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

Smooth

Lemma

Faint longitudinal lines. Groove between lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
and callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
.

Palea

Smooth; margins have evenly spaced teeth.

Other structures

Top of rachillaRachilla:
The axis of a spikelet.
is slightly enlarged.

Identification notes

CaryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
dark brown with a striate surface.

Noxious weed seed categories

Not listed

AOSA examination list

Not included

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl.

Synonyms

 Puccinellia distans.  Florets with a dark brown caryopsis with a striate surface. 
Puccinellia distans. Florets with a dark brown caryopsis with a striate surface.