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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE GRASS FAMILY | |||||||||
| The grass family is economically and
ecologically important. Many of the world’s crops are products of
the grasses. In addition, grasses are represented in almost all terrestrial
ecosystems and are an important part of the natural food chain. The grasses have a set of structures unique to the family. These plants can be annual or perennial and are usually herbaceous. The roots are fibrous, but rhizomes or runners may be found in some species. The stems are solitary or tufted, and may be branched. The stems are round with hollow internodes and solid nodes. The leaves are basal or on the stem. The stem leaves are 2-ranked, meaning they are in two vertical rows and are sheathing at the base. A ligule is present where the leaf sheath and the blade meet. The florets are in spikelets which are then arranged into clusters called spikes, racemes, or panicles. The spikelets usually have two glumes at the base and may be one to several-flowered. Sometimes there are sterile florets, which may consist only of the palea and lemma, present above or below the fertile florets. The florets are usually perfect, meaning that they have both male and female parts. The lemma and palea are the two bracts that subtend each floret. The lemma may be awnless or awned from the tip or the back. Each fertile floret has between one and three stamens and one superior ovary with a feathery stigma. The fruit type is a caryopsis or grain and is unique to the grass family. |
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| MACKENZIE HAIRGRASS | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Deschampsia mackenzieana | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Mackenzie hairgrass grows as tall as 120 cm from fibrous roots. The stems are tufted and are leafy at the base. The leaves are about 5 mm wide and are firm and prominently veined. The leaves are translucent between the veins. The leaf sheaths are hairless and boat-shaped. The inflorescence is branched and spreading. The spikelets are 4 to 5 mm long and are usually 2-flowered. The florets are pale or purplish in colour. The first glume is about 2 mm long and has one nerve; the second glume is about 3 mm long and has three nerves. The lemma has a straight or slightly curved awn that is inserted above the middle of the back of the lemma. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Mackenzie hairgrass is found in sand dunes and on large lake beaches. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This plant is found in northwestern Saskatchewan in the Athabasca Plain ecoregion. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| 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 but is usually locally numerous. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY MACKENZIE HAIRGRASS | |||||||||
| * Is the lemma inserted above the middle of the
back of the lemma? * Are the stems tufted? * Are the leaves firm and prominently veined? * Did you find in northwestern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found Mackenzie hairgrass! | |||||||||
