Species: Alopecurus carolinianus Walt.

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Alopecurus carolinianus Walt.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Alopecurus

Species Synonyms:

Alopecurus macounii Vasey
Alopecurus ramosus Poir.

Common Names:

tufted meadow-foxtail
Carolina meadow-foxtail

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southwestern British Columbia, southern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southern Saskatchewan; Val Marie – Wood Mountain

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry slough or creek bottoms and mudflats

Canada:

shores, ditches, fields, and low grounds

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 N2 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Alopecurus carolinianus is endangered because of rarity in Saskatchewan. It is regionally restricted to one general region of the province. Possible threats are inferred by occurrences in heavily populated areas, fragile habitats, or areas of possible developments.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 45 cm

Roots:

rhizome short, creeping

Stems:

annual, tufted, stiffly erect or geniculate at base, branched at base

Leaves:

blades rigid, 1 – 10 cm long, 1 – 3.5 mm wide, adaxial surface scabrous

Inflorescence:

panicle spicate, 1 – 5 cm long, 2 – 5 mm wide, oblong

Spikelets:

to 4 mm long

Flowers:

glumes 2 – 3 mm long, slightly connate at base, apex obtuse, keel and lateral nerves villous; lemma awn arising from below the middle, 2.5 – 5 mm long, usually geniculate; anthers less than 0.6 mm long

Fruits:

caryopsis

ALOPECURUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Panicles thick, to 1 cm wide; glumes densely woolly	A. alpinus
1 Panicles slender to 0.5 cm wide; glumes ciliate or pilose	2

2 Anthers less than 0.6 mm long; plants annual, not rooting at nodes on decumbent stem base, stem tending to be more erect	A. carolinianus
2 Anthers greater than 0.6 mm long; plants perennial, tending to root at nodes from decumbent stem base	3

3 Culms erect or spreading; lemma awn slightly exserted, usually straight; anthers orange yellow	A. aequalis var. aequalis
3 Culms usually decumbent; lemma awn greatly exserted, usually geniculate; anthers pale yellow or purplish	A. geniculatus var. geniculatus

* Alopecurus X haussknechtianus is a hybrid between A. aequalis var. aequalis and A. geniculatus var. geniculatus with intermediate characteristics.