Species: Danthonia unispicata (Thurb.) Munro ex Macoun

comments | credits | copyright

Back to: Plants at Risk in Saskatchewan

Danthonia unispicata (Thurb.) Munro ex Macoun

Species Image Gallery
(opens in a new window)

TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Danthonia

Species Synonyms:

Danthonia americana Scribn.
Danthonia californica var. americana (Scribn.) A.S. Hitchc.
Danthonia californica var. palousensis St. John
Danthonia californica var. piperi St. John

Common Names:

California oatgrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southern British Columbia – southern Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills – Lower Frenchman River

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

moist draws in upland fescue and tall mixed-grass prairies

Associated Species:

Antennaria microphylla, Arenaria congesta, Koeleria macrantha, Pascopyrum smithii, Selaginella densa

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Danthonia unispicata is threatened because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. It is only somewhat regionally restricted and most local populations are small. Possible threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

15 – 25 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

caespitose, disarticulating at the nodes at maturity

Leaves:

blades 3 – 8 cm long, 1 – 3 mm wide, flat, light green, pilose; sheaths pilose

Inflorescence:

reduced to a single spikelet, rarely 2 or 3; pedicels stiff, appressed

Spikelets:

1 – 2 cm long

Florets:

glumes 1 – 1.2 cm long; callus pilose; lemma 3 – 10 mm long, pilose on margins, otherwise glabrous; lemma awn 6 – 8 mm long

Fruits:

caryopsis

DANTHONIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Lemmas 2.5 – 6 mm long, pilose	D. spicata
1 Lemmas 3 – 11 mm long, pilose or glabrous	2

2 Lower inflorescence branches stiff; pedicels shorter than to as long as spikelets	3
2 Lower inflorescence branches flexible; pedicels generally longer than spikelets	4

3 Spikelets 1 (rarely 2); lemmas 5.5 – 11 mm; mature culms disarticulating at the nodes, rarely more than 25 cm tall	D. unispicata
3 Spikelets 5 – 10 in a panicle; lemmas 3 – 6 mm long; mature culms not disarticulating at the nodes, usually more than 25 cm tall	D. intermedia

4 Uppermost cauline leaves divergent at maturity; inflorescence racemose; glumes about 1 cm long	D. californica
4 Uppermost cauline leaves erect to ascending; inflorescence paniculate; glumes about 2 cm long	D. parryi