Species: Calamagrostis lapponica (Wahlenb.) Hartman

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Calamagrostis lapponica (Wahlenb.) Hartman

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Calamagrostis

Species Synonyms:

Calamagrostis lapponica var. alpina Hartman
Calamagrostis lapponica var. groenlandica Lange
Calamagrostis lapponica var. nearctica Porsild

Common Names:

lapland reedgrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon – Mackenzie – Keewatin – Ungava – Labrador – southern Baffin Island, south to British Columbia – southwestern Alberta – northern Saskatchewan – Manitoba – Quebec – Newfoundland

Saskatchewan:

northern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca – Hasbala Lake – La Loche

Ecoregion:

Mid-Boreal Upland, Athabasca Plain, Churchill River Upland, Tazin Lake Upland, Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

moist to dry clearings and fen margins in boreal forest

Canada:

moist, sandy or gravel ground

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2S3

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Calamagrostis lapponica is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. It occurs in two or three general regions of the province and is usually locally numerous within limited areas. No threats are known or anticipated.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

30 – 60 cm

Roots:

rhizome short, thin

Stem:

loosely caespitose, slender, erect, with 2 or 3 nodes, glabrous or scabrous below panicle

Leaves:

blades 2 – 3 mm wide, flat or involute, adaxial surface scabrous, abaxial surface smooth; sheaths glabrous; ligules 0.5 – 3 mm long

Inflorescence:

panicle open or contracted, 5 – 15 cm long, 1 – 2 cm wide, often purple

Florets:

glumes 4 – 5.5 mm long, acuminate, slightly lustrous, slightly hairy on keel; callus hairs unequal; lemmas shorter than glumes, 3.5 – 5 mm long; lemma awn slender, almost straight, shorter than lemma

Fruits:

caryopsis

CALAMAGROSTIS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Lemma awn geniculate, usually protruding from glumes; callus hairs much shorter than lemma	2
1 Lemma awn straight or nearly so, usually included in glumes; callus hairs usually nearly equal to lemma	4

2 Awn greatly exceeding glumes	C. purpurascens
2 Awn about equalling glumes	3

3 Plants rhizomatous, not caespitose; culms scabrous below the panicle; glumes keeled; spikelets strongly flattened; collar glabrous	C. montanensis
3 Plants tufted, often with short rhizomes; culms smooth below panicle; glumes not keeled; spikelets not strongly flattened; collar pubescent	C. rubescens

4 Panicle loose, open, branches often drooping; blades flat; plants frequently taller than 90 cm	5
4 Panicle contracted; blades flat or involute; plants generally less than 90 cm tall	7

5 Spikelets to 6 mm long; glumes narrow, strongly keeled; awn inserted on the lower third of lemma	C. canadensis var. langsdorfii
5 Spikelets to 4 mm long; glumes rounded on the back, not strongly keeled; awn inserted about the middle of lemma	6

6 Glumes distinctly exceeding the lemma	C. canadensis var. canadensis
6 Glumes shorter than or nearly equal to the lemma	C. canadensis var. macouniana

7 Glumes 3 – 4 mm long; callus hairs about equal to lemma; panicle lax, purplish	C. lapponica
7 Glumes 2 – 3 mm long; callus hairs shorter than lemma; panicle stiff, usually brownish

8 Leaves smooth or sometimes scabrous at tip and on margins, to 4 mm broad, involute; ligules 1 – 3 mm long, entire	C. stricta ssp. stricta
8 Leaves harsh and scabrous, flat, to 8 mm wide; ligules over 3 mm long, lacerate	C. stricta ssp. inexpansa