Species: Calamagrostis rubescens Buck.

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Calamagrostis rubescens Buck.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Calamagrostis

Species Synonyms:

Calamagrostis fasciculata Kearney

Common Names:

pinegrass
pine reedgrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia – Saskatchewan – south western Manitoba

Saskatchewan:

central and southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills, Nipawin Provincial Park

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mid-Boreal Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open pine or aspen woods

Canada:

open woods, prairies, and banks

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Pinegrass is threatened because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. No threats are known or anticipated.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

60 - 100 cm tall

Roots:

rhizomes slender, deep, creeping

Stem:

closely spaced, sod-forming or solitary, hairless

Leaves:

2 – 4 mm broad, flat; sheaths smooth; ligule 1 – 4 mm long, a tuft of hairs

Inflorescence:

branched, 6 – 15 cm long, compact, dense, sometimes interrupted, pale or purplish

Spikelets:

4 – 5 mm long

Florets:

glumes lance-shaped to oval, hairless; hardened thickening below the lemma with hairs 1/3 as long as lemma, lateral tufts 2; lemmas 4.5 mm long, 3 – 5 nerved; lemma awns inserted at the base, bent, shorter than the glumes; palea nearly equalling the lemma

Fruits:

grain

CALAMAGROSTIS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Lemma awn bent, usually protruding from glumes; hairs on hardened thickenings below lemma much shorter than lemma	2
1 Lemma awn straight or nearly so, usually included in glumes; hairs on hardened thickenings below lemma usually nearly equal to lemma	4

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

3 Plants rhizomatous not tufted; stems rough below the inflorescence; glumes boat-shaped; spikelets strongly flattened; collar hairless	C. montanensis
3 Plants tufted, often with short rhizomes; stems smooth below inflorescence; glumes not boat-shaped; spikelets not strongly flattened; collar hairy	C. rubescens

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

5 Spikelets to 6 mm long; glumes narrow, strongly boat-shaped; 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 boat-shaped; 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; hairs on hardened thickening below lemma about equal to lemma; inflorescence lax, purplish	C. lapponica
7 Glumes 2 – 3 mm long; hairs on hardened thickening below lemma shorter than lemma; inflorescence stiff, usually brownish

8 Leaves smooth or sometimes rough hairy at tip and on margins, to 4 mm broad, rolled; ligules 1 – 3 mm long, entire	C. stricta ssp. stricta
8 Leaves harsh and rough, flat, to 8 mm wide; ligules over 3 mm long, appearing torn	C. stricta ssp. inexpansa