Species: Luzula confusa Lindeberg

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Luzula confusa Lindeberg

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Juncaceae

Genus:

Luzula

Species Synonyms:

Juncoides hyperboreum (R. Br.) Sheldon p.p.
Luzula hyperborea R. Br. p.p.

Common Names:

northern woodrush

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory – Mackenzie District – Victoria Island – Ellesmere Island – Baffin Island – Labrador, south to northern British Columbia, southwestern Alberta, northeastern Saskatchewan – northern Manitoba – Ungava – eastern Quebec

Saskatchewan:

northeastern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry, rocky tundra slopes

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Northern woodrush is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare and is highly regionally restricted in the province. No threats are known or anticipated.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

3 – 10 cm tall

Roots:

rhizomes lacking or poorly developed

Culms:

loosely tufted, stout, stiffly erect

Leaves:

basal leaves of various lengths, reddish, hairless; stem leaves 2 – 3, rarely to 6 cm long, often reaching or exceeding inflorescence, 2 – 3 mm wide, tapering to long slender points, channelled or rolled under, reddish, hairless; sheaths brownish or reddish, persistent

Inflorescence:

dense head-like clusters 1 – 4 in spike-like or sparingly branched arrangements, stalks erect or arching; bract usually inconspicuous, short, scale-like

Flowers:

bracts at the base of the flower with membranous, torn or fringed margins; tepals as long as the capsules, outer whorl longer than inner whorl, narrowly lance-shaped, gradually tapering to a sharp point, dark brown; anthers 2 times filament length; stigmas much exceeding styles

Fruits:

capsules oval, dark brown; seeds dark brown

LUZULA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers in a simple, umbrella-like cluster or 2 – 3 at the ends of stalks; leaves > 5 mm broad; rhizomes well-developed	2
1 Flowers sessile or subsessile in dense clusters; leaves < 5 mm broad; rhizomes absent or poorly developed	3

2 Leaves long-hairy; inflorescence a simple umbrella-like cluster; flowers 2.5 – 4.5 mm long; seeds with a long, curved tail-like appendage	L. acuminata var. acuminata
2 Leaves essentially hairless except at the top of the sheath; inflorescence with 2 – 3 flowers at the ends of the stalk, compound; flowers 2 – 3.0 mm long; seeds lacking a long, curved, tail-like appendage	L. parviflora var. melanocarpa

3 Leaves tapering to long, slender points, margin rolled; floral bracts hairy margined; seeds unappendaged	L. confusa
3 Leaves with blunt hardened tips, flat; floral bracts entire or torn; seeds with a well-developed appendage	4

4 Tepals < 3.5 mm long; tepals and capsule chestnut brown to black; inflorescence congested, spikes usually sessile or subsessile	L. multiflora ssp. frigida
4 Tepals to 4.5 mm long; tepals and capsule pale or straw-coloured; inflorescence commonly with a large, sessile central spike and two lateral spikes on ascending rays	L. multiflora ssp. multiflora