Calamagrostis stricta (Timm) Koeler subsp. stricta
Poaceae, grass family.
Descr. Gram. 105. 1802.
Arundo stricta Timm in Siemssen, Meklenb. Mag. 2: 235. 1795. First described from Malchin, Germany. Not Arundo stricta Gilib., 1792, because the latter was described in a work not consistently employing binomial nomenclature. Calamagrostis neglecta var. stricta (Timm) Griseb. in Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 4: 429. 1853. Calamagrostis neglecta subsp. stricta (Timm) Tzvelev, Novit. Syst. Pl. Vasc. 1965. 30. 1965.
Type: The location of Timm's herbarium and type is unknown (Stafleu 1986).
Deyeuxia neglecta var. gracilis Scribn., Bot. Gaz. 11: 175.
1886. Calamagrostis laxiflora Kearney, U.S. Dept. Agric., Div. Agrost.
Bull. 11: 34. 1898. Not C. laxiflora Phil., 1896. (cited incorrectly by
Kearney as Calamagrostis neglecta var. gracilis). Calamagrostis
lucida Scribn., U.S. Dept. Agric., Div. Agrost. Circ. 30: 8. 1901. Type:
U.S.A.Wyoming: Yellowstone Park, East Fork, meadows, Aug. 1885, Tweedy
582. (Holotype: US; Isotype: GH).
Deyeuxia neglecta var.
brevifolia Vasey in Macoun, Cat. Can. Pl. 4: 206. 1888. Type: Canada.
Yukon: near margin of Pelly Banks, 61°45'N, 31 July 1887, Dawson 96.
(Holotype: CAN. Fragment at US! from Canada).
Calamagrostis neglecta
var. wrightii Kearney, U.S. Dept. Agric., Div. Agrost. Bull. 11: 36.
1898. Type: U.S.S.R. Arakamehetchene Island, Bering Strait, 1853–1856,
C. Wright s.n. (Holotype US. Isotype GH.)
Calamagrostis
neglecta var. micrantha (Kearney) Stebbins, Rhodora 32: 55. 1930.
Calamagrostis micrantha Kearney, U.S. Dept. Agric. Div. Agrost. Bull.
11: 36. 1898. Canada. Saskatchewan: muskeg north of Prince Albert, Macoun,
H.G.S.C. 13111. (Holotype US. Isotypeastern Canada).
Calamagrostis
micrantha var. sierrae Jones. Contrib. West. Bot. 14: 9. 1912. Type:
2nd specimen cited: U.S.A. California: Susanville, below Eagle Lake, 30 June
1897. Jones s.n.. (POM. Duplicate US).
Vegetative morphology. Plants perennial herbs; 10–30 cm high (on Arctic Islands, to 90 cm tall further south); caespitose (loosely); not vegetatively proliferating by bulbils or fragmentation. Ground-level or under-ground stems horizontal, or not developed horizontally or vertically; rhizomatous; compact; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Scales present; striate, or grooved; 2–15 mm long; glabrous. Aerial stems erect; circular or oval in cross-section; glabrous. Leaves distributed along the stems (flowering culms); alternate; not distinctly distichous; marcescent. Petioles absent. Sheaths with the margins not fused; glabrous; collars present. Ligules present; 0.75–1.5(–3.5) mm long; membranous; glabrous; ovate-oblong; apices obtuse; entire (usually). Blades (20–)50–150(–300) mm long; (1–)2–3(–5) mm wide. Blades spreading; rolled in bud; linear; without auricles; involute; veins parallel; midvein similar in size to other veins in the leaf; without bulliform cells in a distinct row on either side of the midvein. Blades adaxial surface glabrous (in appearance but minutely scaberulous). Blades abaxial surface glabrous (in appearance, but minutely scaberulous).
Reproductive morphology. Flowering stems present. Flowering culm nodes not rooting at the lower nodes; becoming exposed; number visible (1–)2–3. Flag leaf sheaths not inflated. Inflorescence paniculate; dense; lanceolate, or ovate (compact); (3–)5–12 cm long; 5–20 mm wide; main axis scabrous (conspicuously so). Number of inflorescence branches at lowest node 2–4. Inflorescence primary branches (0.5–)1–2(–4) mm long (spikelet-bearing for over half their length); scabrous; with appressed secondary branches (usually without secondary branches in the Arctic). Spikelets pedicellate; disarticulating above the glumes; laterally compressed; lanceolate; 2–4.5 mm long; 1–2 mm wide. Florets per spikelet 1. Glumes sub-equal, occasionally hyaline at the margins. First glume 0.85–1 × the length of the second glume; 0.85–1 × spikelet length; 4–5.5 mm long; lanceolate; glabrous, or with trichomes (usually thin and smooth or weakly scabrous along the keel); margins glabrous; veins 1; apex caudate (i.e. with a tail-like appendange). Second glume as long, or longer than the spikelet; almost as long as, or longer than, the lowest floret; lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; glabrous, or with trichomes; veins 1(–3). Rachilla internode 0.8–1.1 mm long; hairy (hairs 2.5–3.0 mm). Rachilla extending beyond the uppermost floret. Callus differentiated; hairs 1–2(–3) mm long; hairs shorter than the floret. Lemma 2–4 mm long; lanceolate; rounded on the back; surface dull; surface sparsely scabrous; surface with trichomes on and between the veins; veins 3. Lemma apex acute; bifid (notched or 4-toothed); ciliate; awned. Awn arising from the middle or below; 4–4.5 mm long. Palea well developed; 2–4 mm long; with glabrous veins. Perianth reduced to lodicules. Stamens 3. Anthers 2–2.5 mm long. Gynoecia superior. Carpels syncarpous; 3. Styles 2. Ovules 1. Fruit sessile. Fruit dry; a caryopsis; indehiscent. Seeds 1.
Chromosome information. 2n = 28, 40, and 42. Greene (1980. Nygren (1946), examined the cytology and reproduction of this species in northern Europe; the populations he studied proved to be uniformly tetraploid (2n = 28) and sexually reproducing. While Greene (1980) reported counts of 2n = ca 40,42,70 and 84 (numbers 70 and 84 from Asia), he noted that tetraploids are the most prevalent chromosome race. Greene (1980) stated that C. stricta is the only species in the genus with sexual, tetraploid populations that are known to be self-compatible and suggested that the potential for these populations to interbreed may account for the ability of C. stricta to form numerous, locally-adapted ecotypes. Most of the material examined by Greene (1980) had well-developed anthers and apparently good pollen. He saw no indication that any of the material might reproduce apomictically.
Distribution. Northern hemisphere distribution: circumpolar; Greenland, Canada. High arctic. Range in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago limited. Arctic Islands: Baffin, Parry Islands (Prince Patrick).
Ecology and habitat. Substrates: wet meadows, along streams, lake shores; imperfectly drained moist areas; acidic; sand; peat (occasionally).
Taxon as an environmental indicator. Does the recorded distribution of this species (see above) make it indicative of the activities of aircraft visiting the area? Aircraft arriving at Iqaluit, often approach over the Sylvia Grinnell River at a time when the wheels are being lowered for landing. The location at Mould Bay reads as though the plant was collected at one end of the runway located there. This species would be expected to thrive in many places on the Arctic Islands and it is surprising that it has not been recorded more frequently.
Notes. Porsild (1964) mapped three records of this taxon in the High
Arctic, which we still have not been able to confirm. However, since McLachlan
et al. (1989), we have found two collections from DAO that were annotated by
C.W. Greene in 1980 as this taxon. One collection from Baffin Island, Sylvia
Grinnell River, 63°45'N 68°32'W, only one small colony seen, 25 July
1948, J.A. Calder 2155. (DAO). The other, mapped as Calamagrostis
chordorrhiza Porsild, from Prince Patrick Island, Mould Bay, 76°16'N,
119°05'W, sandy silt slope above shore; forming open stands on the drier
parts of the slope, 28 Aug.1952, P.F. Bruggemann 556. DAO. This species
was searched for in Sylvia Grinnell Park by Aiken in 1997, but not found.
The name Arundo neglecta Ehrhart is illegitimate because Ehrhart
indicated the taxon is synonymous with Arundo halleria Willdenow that
is Stipa calamagrostis (L.) Wahlenberg.
Illustrations. • Herbarium specimen. Herbarium specimen of Calamagrostis stricta from the NWT, Inuvik, Aiken 88–414, 21 July 1988. CAN. • Close-up of inflorescence. Close-up of part of inflorescence of Calamagrostis stricta. The glumes (striped arrow is pointing to one) are generally longer than the single floret. The awn does not exsert from within the glumes (as opposed to C. purpurascens). Specimen from N.W.T., Inuvik, S.G. Aiken 88–414, 21 July 1988. CAN. • Distribution map.
Cite this publication as: ‘S.G. Aiken, M.J. Dallwitz, L.L. Consaul, C.L. McJannet, L.J. Gillespie, R.L. Boles, G.W. Argus, J.M. Gillett, P.J. Scott, R. Elven, M.C. LeBlanc, A.K. Brysting and H. Solstad. 1999 onwards. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 29th April 2003. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).
