European alkali grass

Puccinellia distans

Family: Poaceae Genus: Puccinellia Species: distans

Synonyms: Festuca limosa, Poa miliacea, Poa distans, Atropis intricata, Puccinellia suecica var. macilenta, Glyceria salina var. distans, Puccinellia distans var. retroflexa, Festuca distans f. pallens, Atropis elata, Sclerochloa multiculmis var. distans, Puccinellia capillaris subsp. pulvinata, Puccinellia suksdorfii, Atropis distans, Puccinellia elata f. expansa, Atropis elata f. gracillima, Phippsia distans, Panicularia distans, Puccinellia fontqueri, Atropis limosa f. cumana, Glyceria distans var. montana, Puccinellia coarctata, Atropis distans subsp. brigantina, Atropis suecica, Molinia capillaris, Glyceria distans var. arenaria, Glyceria distans var. minutula, Atropis suecica f. gigantea, Puccinellia distans var. pichaueri, Puccinellia distans var. majoriflora, Puccinellia distans var. tenuis, Phippsia coarctata, Puccinellia glauca, Glyceria maritima var. virescens, Glyceria distans var. reptans, Atropis distans var. limosa, Atropis suecica var. angustifolia, Atropis pulvinata, Puccinellia parlatorei, Puccinellia retroflexa var. virescens, Poa hybernica, Poa caduca, Puccinellia elata f. gracillima, Poa retroflexa, Puccinellia distans subsp. borealis, Glyceria parlatorei, Puccinellia sevangensis, Festuca distans, Puccinellia pseudoconvoluta, Puccinellia limosa f. cumana, Atropis fontqueri, Atropis distans var. glauca, Poa distans var. glauca, Poa salina, Glyceria maritima var. distans, Atropis suecica var. macilenta, Puccinellia retroflexa, Puccinellia picbaueri, Atropis glauca, Puccinellia distans f. capillaris, Puccinellia distans subsp. tyriensis, Glyceria reptans, Puccinellia distans f. montana, Poa distans var. minor, Glyceria distans var. tenuiflora, Atropis distans var. minutula, Puccinellia elata, Sclerochloa multiculmis, Atropis distans var. tenuis, Puccinellia distans var. halophila, Poa retrofracta, Glyceria intricata, Puccinellia distans subsp. limosa, Glyceria distans var. angustifolia, Phippsia capillaris subsp. pulvinata, Atropis suecica var. capillaris, Atropis sevangensis, Glyceria distans var. glauca, Puccinellia distans f. litoralis, Puccinellia suecica f. gigantea, Glyceria borreri var. islandica, Puccinellia retroflexa var. pulvinata, Atropis distans var. halophila, Catabrosa distans, Glyceria distans var. intermedia, Puccinellia limosa f. pallens, Puccinellia pulvinata, Heleochloa distans, Glyceria distans f. montana, Puccinellia maritima f. explanata, Atropis limosa, Aira brigantiaca, Puccinellia limosa, Phippsia nutkaensis subsp. borealis, Sclerochloa multiculmis subsp. distans, Atropis distans subsp. brigantiaca, Puccinellia intricata, Puccinellia distans subsp. sevangensis, Puccinellia retroflexa subsp. borealis, Puccinellia embergeri, Hydrochloa distans, Puccinellia distans var. angustifolia, Puccinellia suecica, Glyceria intermedia, Glyceria distans, Glyceria distans f. pulvinata, Atropis elata f. expansa, Puccinellia suecica var. angustifolia, Glyceria distans var. tenuis, Phippsia limosa, Glyceria distans subsp. parlatorei, Atropis embergeri, Glyceria distans var. purpurea, Phippsia capillaris, Poa distans var. obtusa, Glyceria minutula, Atropis distans f. litoralis, Poa maritima var. distans, Aira miliacea, Sclerochloa distans, Glyceria explanata, Hydrochloa capillaris, Aira aquatica var. distans, Glyceria capillaris, Puccinellia retroflexa var. suecica, Molinia distans, Puccinellia capillaris, Puccinellia distans subsp. glauca, Atropis capillaris, Atropis picbaueri, Glyceria distans var. pulvinata, Festuca capillaris, Glyceria retroflexa, Puccinellia distans f. tenuis, Glyceria distans var. miliacea, Puccinellia retroflexa var. vegeta, Molinia distans var. capillaris, Puccinellia distans var. picbaueri

European alkali grass (en)

Gallery

Botanical Description

Puccinellia distans, weeping alkaligrass or European alkali grass, is a perennial bunchgrass in the family Poaceae growing to about 40–60 cm tall. It forms small tufts of hollow, slender culms with narrow, rather greyish leaves. The open, spreading panicle bears small, rough-haired spikelets on slender branches that become reflexed at maturity, giving the inflorescence a characteristic weeping aspect. The plant is markedly salt-tolerant and is most often found on saline soils, coastal flats, inland salt marshes and the verges of roads treated with de-icing salts. It is native to Europe and temperate Asia and is now widely naturalised across North America, where it is sometimes regarded as introduced. Its tolerance of saline, disturbed ground has allowed it to spread along highway corridors well inland from its original coastal range.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Alaska, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Rus, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Irkutsk, Italy, Kamchatka, Kazakhstan, Khabarovsk, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, Kuril Is., Lebanon-Syria, Magadan, Manchuria, Mongolia, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Qinghai, Romania, Sakhalin, South European Russi, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yugoslavia

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

Documented Native American uses of Puccinellia distans are limited to food use:

Gosiute — the plant was used as an unspecified food (Chamberlin, 1911).

This plant has no known documented herbal uses.

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID

234384

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

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