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| Deschampsia mackenzieana
Raup |
|
| |
| TAXONOMY |
| |
| Family: |
Poaceae |
| Genus: |
Deschampsia |
| |
| Species Synonyms: |
Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv. |
| Common Names: |
Mackenzie hairgrass |
| |
| DISTRIBUTION |
| |
| Canada: |
northwestern Saskatchewan |
| Saskatchewan: |
northwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca |
| Ecoregion: |
Athabasca Plain |
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| HABITAT |
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| Saskatchewan: |
sand dunes and large lake beaches |
| Associated Species: |
brome, reed grass, and wild rye species |
| |
| RARITY STATUS |
| |
Provincial
Status According
to Harms (2003): |
Vulnerable |
| Nature Conservancy
Status: |
G2G3 S2 |
Saskatchewan
Species at
Risk Status: |
Vulnerable |
| COSEWIC Status:
|
None |
| |
| Mackenzie hairgrass
is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. This species
is endemic to northern Saskatchewan and is restricted to a small area. No
immediate threats are known but are possible in the future. |
| |
| SPECIES
DESCRIPTION |
| |
| Height: |
60 – 120 cm |
| Roots: |
fibrous |
| Stems: |
tufted, leafy at base |
| Leaves: |
to 5 mm wide, flat to folded,
firm, prominently veined, translucent between the veins; sheaths compressed,
boat-shaped, hairless |
| Inflorescence: |
branched, 10 – 25 cm long,
open, often nodding, branches slender and spreading |
| Spikelets: |
4 – 5 mm long, usually
2-flowered, separating above the glumes, florets distant, pale or purplish |
| Florets: |
glumes thin, dry and membranous,
boat-shaped, first glume 2 mm long, 1-nerved, second glume 3 mm long, 3-nerved;
hardened thickening at base of lemma with short hairs; lemma 2.5 –
3.5 mm long, thin, apex square, 2 – 4-toothed; lemma awns about 1.5
mm long, straight or slightly curved, inserted near or above middle; palea
shorter than lemma |
| Fruits: |
grain |
| |
| DESCHAMPSIA
KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN |
| |
| 1 Awn inserted at or above the middle
of the lemma back; Lake Athabasca region |
D. mackenzieana |
| 1 Awn inserted below the middle of
the lemma; widely distributed in Saskatchewan |
D. cespitosa ssp. cespitosa |
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