Photo by Emmet J. Judziewicz

Key Characteristics

Small tufted annual grass (20-50 cm) of moist lakeplain prairies; spikelets with three awns, the middle awn straight (without spirals at its base), 7-12 mm; lateral awns 1-4 mm, not spreading; lemma 3-5 mm.

Status and Rank

• State Status: T - Threatened (legally protected)
• State Rank: S2 - Imperiled
• Global Rank: G5 - Secure

Occurrences

County Name	Number of Occurrences	Year Last Observed
Berrien	1	1999
Gratiot	1	1991
Midland	1	1991
Monroe	1	1980
Oakland	1	1942
St. Clair	3	2002
Wayne	9	2008

Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.

Natural Community Types

• Lakeplain wet prairie

Associated Plants

Little bluestem, big bluestem, Indian grass, bog clubmoss, wild indigo, seedbox, dwarf bulrush, autumn sedge, tooth-cup, orange-grass, tall nut-rush, short-fruited rush, colic root, purple gerardia, pinweed, ladies' tresses, and northern appressed clubmoss.

Management

This species requires conservation of habitat and protection of the hydrology, including maintenance of cyclical drawdown regime and water table. Maintain moist, open habitat. It is also vulnerable to ORV impacts and dredging and filling activities.

General Survey Guidelines

Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgement of the investigator.

Survey Methods

• Meander search

  Survey Period: From third week of August to fourth week of October

  Survey Comments: Recognizable as long as spikelets persist

More Information

References

Survey References

• Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.

• Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316

• Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.

• Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.

• Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.

Technical References

• Braun, E. L. 1967. The Monocotyledoneae of Ohio. Cat-tails to Orchids. Ohio State University Press, Columbus. 464pp.

• Dore, W.G. and J. McNeill. 1980. Grasses of Ontario. Agriculture Canada Research Monographs 26: 566pp.

• Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 2003. Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Volume 25: Magnoliaphyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783pp.

• Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.

• Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.

• Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan Flora. Part I. Gymnosperms and Monocots. Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 488pp.

Page Citation

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