Species: Piptatherum canadense (Poir) Barkworth

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Piptatherum canadense (Poir) Barkworth

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Piptatherum

Species Synonyms:

Oryzopsis canadensis (Poir.) Torr.
Stipa canadensis Poir.

Common Names:

Canadian ricegrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

east-central British Columbia – Alberta – west-central – southeastern Saskatchewan – southwestern Manitoba, Ontario – Quebec – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia

Saskatchewan:

southeastern Saskatchewan; Meadow Lake – southern Prince Albert National Park

Ecoregion:

Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

sandy aspen woods and tall, mixed-grass prairies

Associated Species:

birch, Kentucky bluegrass, northern bedstraw, plains rough fescue, willow

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Nature Conservancy Status:

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

COSEWIC Status:

Canadian ricegrass is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. It is only somewhat regionally restricted in the province and is usually locally numerous within a limited area. Possible threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

30 – 90 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

tufted, branched at base, hairless

Leaves:

blades 4 – 15 cm long, 0.5 – 1.5 mm wide, flat to inrolled; sheaths smooth or rough hairy; ligules 1 – 4 mm long, dry and membranous, tip square to pointed; ear-like lobes at the base of the leaf absent

nflorescence:

9 – 15 cm long, branches 1 – 6 cm long, ascending to divergent

Spikelets:

1-flowered, plump

Flowers:

glumes subequal, 3 – 6 mm long, oval, 1 – 3-nerved; hardened thickening at base of the lemma hairy; lemmas leathery, hairy; lemma awns 5 – 15 mm, 1 – 2 times bent, first segments twisted; palea similar to lemma

Fruits:

grain about 2.5 mm long

PIPTATHERUM KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Lemma and hardened thickening below lemma hairless	P. micranthum
1 Lemma and hardened thickening below lemma hairy	2

2 Awn 0.5 – 2 mm long, falling off early; leaf blades thread-like	P. pungens
2 Awn 5 – 15 mm long, once or twice bent, persistent; leaf blades flat to inrolled	P. canadense