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| Sporobolus heterolepis (Gray) Gray | Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| TAXONOMY | |||||||||||||||
| Family: | Poaceae | ||||||||||||||
| Genus: | Sporobolus | ||||||||||||||
| Species Synonyms: | none | ||||||||||||||
| Common Names: | prairie dropseed northern dropseed |
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| 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: | Deschampsia caespitosa, Elaeagnus commutata, Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus, Elymus trachycaulus ssp. subsecundus, Glycyrrhiza lepidota, Helianthus nuttallii, Hesperostipa spartea, Liatris ligulistylis, Oligoneuron album, Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium, Solidago nemoralis, Zigadenus elegans | ||||||||||||||
| RARITY STATUS | |||||||||||||||
| Provincial
Status According to Harms (2003): |
Endangered |
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| Nature Conservancy Status: | G5 S1 |
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| Saskatchewan
Species at Risk Status: |
None |
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| COSEWIC Status: | None |
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| Sporobolus heterolepis 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: | caespitose, erect | ||||||||||||||
| Leaves: | blades 7 – 31 cm long, 1.5 – 2.5 mm wide, flat to folded, glabrous abaxially, scabrous adaxially, margin scabrous; sheaths dull and fibrous, glabrous; ligules of hairs, 0.1 – 0.3 mm long; auricles present | ||||||||||||||
| Inflorescence: | panicles 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, lanceolate, membranous, glabrous, occasionally 3-nerved; lemmas 3 – 4.5 mm long, ovate, membranous, glabrous; paleas similar to lemmas but slightly longer | ||||||||||||||
| Fruits: | light brown, shiny | ||||||||||||||
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