Puccinellia altaica Tzvelev

Perennial, loosely or densely tufted, intravaginal and a few extravaginal shoots present. Culms erect, 20–30 cm tall. Ligule ca. 1 mm; leaf blades 3–8 cm, ca. 1 mm wide. Panicle contracted or slightly loose, 5–14 × 2–4 cm; branches paired, lower part naked, smooth. Spikelets 3.5–4.5 mm, florets 3–5; lower glume 1–1.2 mm, apex acuminate, upper glume 1.5–2 mm, apex acuminate; lemmas 2.3–2.8(–3) mm, violet, glabrous or slightly hairy near base, apex acuminate; palea keels smooth or with a few spinules in upper 1/3; anthers 1.2–1.5 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug. 2n = 14.

NE Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia (Siberia)].

Flat sandy river banks, saline meadows, grassland on slopes; 1000–2500 m.

Puccinellia dolicholepis var. paradoxa Sergievskaja.