Spreading Alkali Grass, more...weeping alkaligrass, European alkaligrass, European Alkali Grass, Puccinellie à Fleurs Distantes
[Aira aquatica var. distans (Jacq.) Huds., moreAira miliacea Vill., Atropis distans (Jacq.) Griseb., Atropis distans var. tenuis (Uechtr.) Rouy, Catabrosa distans (Jacq.) Link ex Heynh., Festuca distans (Jacq.) Kunth, Glyceria distans Wahlenb., Glyceria distans var. tenuis Uechtr., Heleochloa distans (L.) Drejer, Hydrochloa distans (Jacq.) Hartm., Molinia distans (Jacq.) Hartm., Panicularia distans (Jacq.) Kuntze, Phippsia distans , Poa retroflexa Curtis, Puccinellia bilykiana Klokov, Puccinellia distans var. retroflexa (Curtis) Wolley-Dod, Puccinellia pseudoconvoluta Klokov, Puccinellia sachalinensis Ohwi, Puccinellia suecica (Holmb.) Holmb., Sclerochloa arenaria (Retz.) Nees, Sclerochloa distans (Jacq.) Bab., Sclerochloa multiculmis Syme ex Sowerby, Sclerochloa multiculmis var. distans (Jacq.) Syme]
Tufted perennial 1-5 dm, decumbent at base; lvs 1-4 mm wide, flat, often becoming involute; ligules mostly under 2 mm; infl ovoid, 6-20 cm, loosely branched, its branches and pedicels scabrous, the lower branches spreading or reflexed, usually bearing spikelets only beyond the middle; spikelets 3-5 mm, 3-7-fld; glumes ovate, the first 0.7-1.8 mm, the second 1.2-2 mm; lemmas elliptic to obovate, obscurely veined, glabrous or short-pilose at base, scabrous on the margins toward the broadly obtuse to truncate tip; first lemma 1.7-2.5 mm; anthers 0.7-1.1 mm; 2n=14, 28, 42. Native of Europe, naturalized along the coast from N.B. to Del., and becoming common inland especially along highways in our range, w. to the Pacific.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.