Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Bouteloua
 
Species Synonyms: Atheropogon curtipendulus (Michx.) Forum.
Chloris curtipendula Michx.
Common Names: sideoats grama
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southeastern Saskatchewan – southern Manitoba, southwestern Ontario
Saskatchewan: southeastern Saskatchewan; Souris River Valley
Ecoregion: Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: eroded or stony prairie slopes
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Vulnerable
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S3
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Sideoats grama is vulnerable but apparently secure, with numerous localities in Saskatchewan. It is restricted to one subregion of the province but it is usually locally numerous within limited areas. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 30 – 70 cm
Roots: rhizomes long
Stem: solitary or in small clumps, erect, solid
Leaves: 2 – 30 cm long, 1 – 2 mm wide, flat, usually below smooth, rough on top; sheaths mostly hairless; ligules 0.3 – 0.5 mm, membranous
Inflorescence: branched, 13 – 30 cm long, one-sided, with 30 – 80 branches; branches reflexed, 1 – 3 cm long, deciduous as a unit
Spikelets: 2 – 7, appressed, all alike, 1 fertile floret with 2 sterile florets above, sterile florets smaller and consisting of a lemma and its central awn
Florets: glumes unequal, hairless or rough, purple-tinged, lower glumes 2 – 5 mm long, upper glumes 5 – 7 mm long; lemmas 3 – 6 mm long, hairless or rough hairy, 3-lobed, 3-nerved, purple-tinged; paleas acute; anthers red or red-orange
Fruits: grain
 
BOUTELOUA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Spikes many; spikelets 2 – 7 per branch, appressed
B. curtipendula var. curtipendula
1 Spikes 1 – 6; spikelets 6 – 130 per branch, comb-like
B. gracilis