Species: Sporobolus heterolepis (Gray) Gray

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Sporobolus heterolepis (Gray) Gray

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Poaceae

Genus:

Sporobolus

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

prairie dropseed
northern dropseed

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

east-central Saskatchewan – southern Manitoba, Ontario – southwestern Quebec

Saskatchewan:

east-central Saskatchewan; McKague – Antler River Valley

Ecoregion:

Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open grasslands

Associated species:

blazing star, death camas, gray goldenrod, little bluestem, Nuttall’s sunflower, porcupine grass, prairie goldenrod, silverberry, slender wheatgrass, tufted hairgrass

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Prairie dropseed is endangered because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. This species is usually locally numerous within limited areas. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

30 – 80 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

tufted, erect

Leaves:

blades 7 – 31 cm long, 1.5 – 2.5 mm wide, flat to folded, hairless below, rough-hairy above, margin rough-hairy; sheaths dull and fibrous, hairless; ligules of hairs, 0.1 – 0.3 mm long; ear-like lobes at the base of the leaf present

Inflorescence:

branched, terminal and axillary, 5 – 22 cm long, 1 – 11 cm wide, somewhat pyramidal, not diffuse

Spikelets:

3 – 6 mm long

Flowers:

glumes subequal, shorter than florets, lance-shaped, membranous, hairless, occasionally 3-nerved; lemmas 3 – 4.5 mm long, oval, membranous, hairless; paleas similar to lemmas but slightly longer

Fruits:

light brown, shiny

SPOROBOLUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Inflorescence < 20 cm, contracted, branches erect or appressed; annual	S. neglectus
1 Inflorescence 20 – 30 cm long, open, branches spreading or ascending; perennials	2

2 Leaf sheaths densely long-hairy on both sides at the tip, otherwise hairless; base of inflorescence in upper leaf sheath	S. cryptandrus
2 Leaf sheaths mostly hairless; base of inflorescence well exserted	S. heterolepis