Species: Puccinellia distans ssp. hauptiana (Trin. ex Krecz.) W.E. Hughes

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Puccinellia distans ssp. hauptiana (Trin. ex Krecz.) W.E. Hughes

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Puccinellia

Species Synonyms:

Puccinellia hauptiana (Trin. ex. Krecz.) Kitaga

Common Names:

Hauptian alkaligrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon – southern Mackenzie District– northwestern British Columbia, northeastern Alberta – northwestern Saskatchewan, northern Ontario

Saskatchewan:

northwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca – Cluff Lake

Ecoregion:

Athabasca Plain, Tazin Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

saline mudflats in uranium mine tailings and open, sandy disturbed sites

Associated Species:

jackpine

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G3G4 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Hauptian alkaligrass is threatened because of extreme rarity in Saskatchewan. This species is somewhat regionally restricted in the province. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 60 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

tufted, erect to bent at base, not mat-forming

Leaves:

blades shorter than inflorescence, 1 – 2 mm wide, flat to rolled; sheaths open; ligules membranous; ear-like lobes at the base of the leaf absent

Inflorescence:

2.5 – 20 cm long, diffuse, lower branches horizontal to reflexed

Spikelets:

2.5 – 7 mm long, 2 – 7-flowered

Flowers:

glumes rounded, veins obscure, tip pointed or square; hardened thickening at base of lemma slightly hairy; lemmas 1.5 – 2 mm long, herbaceous, hairless or slightly hairy, rounded, obscurely 5-veined; palea usually hairless

Fruits:

grain

PUCCINELLIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Anthers at least 1.2 mm long; lemma margins smooth to densely rough-hairy	P. lemmonii
1 Anthers less than 1 mm long; lemma margins densely rough-hairy	2

2 Lemmas 2 – 5 mm long; glumes more or less boat-shaped; lower panicle branches erect to descending	P. nuttalliana
2 Lemmas 1.5 – 2 mm long; glumes rounded on back; lower panicle branches horizontal to reflexed	3

3 Leaves 1 – 2 mm wide, rolled; anthers 0.3 – 0.6 mm long	P. distans ssp. hauptiana
3 Leaves 2 – 7 mm wide, flat; anthers 0.6 – 0.8 mm long	P. distans ssp. distans