Species: Luzula multiflora ssp. frigida (Buch.) Krecz.

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Luzula multiflora ssp. frigida (Buch.) Krecz.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Juncaceae

Genus:

Luzula

Species Synonyms:

Luzula sudetica auct. non (Willd.) DC.
Luzula frigida (Buch.) Samuelsson
Luzula intermedia (Thuill.) A. Nels.
Luzula campestris var. frigida Buch.
Luzula multiflora var. frigida (Buch.) Samuelsson
Luzula multiflora var. fusconigra Celak.
Luzula sudetica var. frigida (Buch.) Fern.

Common Names:

common woodrush
many-flowered woodrush

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory – Mackenzie District – Keewatin District – Ungava, south to northern British Columbia – Alberta – northern Saskatchewan – northern Manitoba – Ontario – Labrador

Saskatchewan:

northeastern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

fields, meadows, and open woods

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5T5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Luzula multiflora ssp. frigida is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is highly regionally restricted in the province and is only known from one location.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 40 cm tall

Roots:

rhizomes

Culms:

densely to loosely caespitose, somewhat bulbous at base

Leaves:

basal leaves 3.5 – 12 cm long, 2 – 6 mm wide, flat; cauline leaves 2 – 3, not overlapping, equalling or exceeding inflorescence, apex callous, sparsely hairy

Inflorescence:

subumbellate, with one large and several smaller sessile or subsessile spikes; lowermost bract of inflorescence leaf-like

Flowers:

tepals 2.5 – 3.5 mm long, outer and inner tepals approximately equal or outer whorl slightly longer than the inner, chestnut or blackish brown margins clear; anthers not more than twice the length of the filament

Fruits:

capsules about equal to tepals, globose, pale brown to black; seeds 1 – 1.4 mm long, with a long caruncle

LUZULA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers a simple umbel 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 umbel; flowers 2.5 – 4.5 mm long; seeds with a long, curved tail-like appendage (caruncle)	L. acuminata var. acuminata
2 Leaves essentially glabrous 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 caruncle	L. parviflora var. melanocarpa

3 Leaves tapering to long, slender points, margin involute; floral bracts ciliate margined; seeds unappendaged	L. confusa
3 Leaves with blunt callous tips, flat; floral bracts entire or lacerate; seeds with a well-developed appendage	4

4 Perianth < 3.5 mm long; perianth and capsule castaneus to black; inflorescence congested, spikes usually sessile or subsessile	L. multiflora ssp. frigida
4 Perianth to 4.5 mm long; perianth and capsule pale or stramineus; inflorescence commonly with a large, sessile central spike and two lateral spikes on ascending rays	L. multiflora ssp. multiflora