Species: Puccinellia lemmonii (Vasey) Scribn.

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Puccinellia lemmonii (Vasey) Scribn.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Puccinellia

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

Lemmon’s alkaligrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southwestern British Columbia – southern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

saline or alkaline marshy areas

Canada:

moist alkaline soil

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered/Extirpated?

Nature Conservancy Status:

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Lemmon’s alkaligrass is endangered because it is extremely rare and is only known from one general region of Saskatchewan. Possible threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 40 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

tufted, not mat-forming, usually erect

Leaves:

mostly basal, 1 – 2 mm wide when flattened, rolled; sheaths open; ligules 1 – 2 mm long, mostly entire; ear-like lobes at the base of the stem absent

Inflorescence:

2 – 20 cm long, compact to open, pyramidal, lower branches ascending to descending

Spikelets:

3.5 – 8 mm long, 2 – 6-flowered, greenish

Flowers:

glumes rounded on the back, obscurely veined; hardened thickening at base of the leaf slightly hairy; lemmas 2.5 – 4 mm long, herbaceous, mostly hairless, usually rounded on the back, 5-veined; palea rough-hairy at least distally; anthers 1 – 2 mm long

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