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Puccinellia distans — spreading alkali grass

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Facts

Spreading alkali grass is a non-native grass, found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont along roadsides and other salted areas including railroads and waste areas. The species name, "distans," means "spreading," and refers to the widely spreading stamens of the florets and also to the lower, spreading branches of the inflorescence. The genus name honors botanist Benedetto Puccinelli (1808-1850), who introduced many species such as Camellias and Azaleas to Italy and who published treatises on ferns and fungi.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Vermont
Leaf blade width
1–7 mm
Inflorescence branches
the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
Spikelet length
1.5–2.5 mm
Glume relative length
neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
Awn on glume
the glume has no awn
One or more florets
there is more than one floret per spikelet
Lemma awn length
0 mm
Leaf ligule length
0.8–1.2 mm
Anther length
0.4–0.8 mm
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    0.4–0.8 mm
    Anther number
    3
    Awn on glume
    the glume has no awn
    Floret lower bract texture
    the lemma is thin and flexible
    Floret number
    2–7
    Glume awn length
    0 mm
    Glume keel
    NA
    Glume relative length
    neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
    Glume shape
    the glume is flat or curved in cross-section
    Glume veins
    • 1
    • 3
    Inflorescence arrangement
    the spikelets are uniform
    Inflorescence axis orientation
    the inflorescence axis is straight
    Inflorescence branch roughness
    the inflorescence branches are somewhat to very rough
    Inflorescence branches
    the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
    Inflorescence crowding
    the panicle is somewhat to very spread out, with clearly-evident branches
    Inflorescence length
    2.5–20 mm
    Inflorescence type (general)
    the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
    Inflorescence type (specific)
    the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
    Inforescence position
    the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
    Lemma awn base
    NA
    Lemma awn coiled
    NA
    Lemma awn length
    0 mm
    Lemma awn number
    the lemma has no awn
    Lemma awn orientation
    NA
    Lemma base hairs
    the lemma has hairs at the base
    Lemma cross-section
    the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint
    Lemma hairs
    the lemma has fine hairs between the veins
    Lemma keel hairs
    NA
    Lemma surface
    the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
    Lemma tip
    the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
    Lemma tip shape
    • the lemma tip is rounded off or truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off); it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip
    • the lemma tip tapers to a broad point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
    Lemma vein number
    5
    Lemma vein orientation
    the veins on the lemma stay roughly parallel throughout
    Lower glume length
    0.4–1.3 mm
    One or more florets
    there is more than one floret per spikelet
    Palea relative length
    palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
    Reproductive system
    all the flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
    Spikelet axis tip
    there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
    Spikelet disintegration
    the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
    Spikelet length
    1.5–2.5 mm
    Spikelet pedicel
    the spikelets have pedicels
    Spikelet position
    • the spikelets emerge from both the upper and lower halves of the inflorescence branches
    • the spikelets emerge mainly from the upper halves of the inflorescence branches
    Spikelets spiny
    the spikelets do not appear spiny
    Tip of glume
    the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)
    Upper glume length
    0.9–1.8 mm
  • Growth form

    Horizontal rooting stem
    no
    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
  • Leaves

    Leaf auricles
    the leaves do not have auricles
    Leaf basal lobe hairy
    NA
    Leaf blade cross-section
    • the leaf blade is clearly folded or rolled inwards
    • the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section, or slightly folded or rolled inwards
    Leaf blade width
    1–7 mm
    Leaf ligule length
    0.8–1.2 mm
    Leaf ligule type
    the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane
    Leaf margin glands
    there are no glands along the edges of the leaf blade
    Leaf sheath closed around stem
    the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
  • Place

    Habitat
    • terrestrial
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    man-made or disturbed habitats
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    5–60 cm
    Stem orientation
    • the stems are upright
    • the stems trail at the base, but turn upwards at the tips
    Stem spacing
    the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

ssp. borealis

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

ssp. distans

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

1.  Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl. E

spreading alkali grass. Poa distans Jacq.; P. distans (Jacq.) Parl. var. tenuis (Uechtr.) Fern. 
• CT, MA, ME, VT; also reported from RI by Magee and Ahles (1999), but specimens are unknown. Roadsides and other salted places, ditches, railroads, waste areas. Two infraspecific taxa have been recognized in New England primarily on differences in leaf blade morphology (Fernald and Weatherby 1916). Variety distans has broader blades that are ± flat and var. tenuis has narrower blades that are folded or involute. Review of herbarium specimens shows a continuum of leaf morphologies. In light of this, Puccinellia distans is here treated broadly without formal recogniztion of infraspecific taxa.

Native to North America?

Yes

Family

Poaceae

Genus

Puccinellia