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Banff Bluegrass - Poa laxa ssp. banffiana
General Description
Banff Bluegrass is a small, tuft-forming perennial with flowering stems that stand 8-25 cm tall and grow intermingled with shorter vegetative shoots. The leaves are 1-3 mm wide and have flat or folded blades and tips shaped like the prow of a boat. Spikelets are borne in a narrow, somewhat loose, compoundly branched inflorescence which is 2.5-8 cm long. The spikelets are strongly compressed, and each consists of 2 glumes which enclose 2-5 florets. The second glume is about the same length as or slightly longer than the lemma of the lowest floret, which is 3-4.6 mm long. The lemmas are distinctly hairy on the keel and lateral veins but lack cobwebby hairs at the base.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
N. Rocky Mtns. Alta., Sask., and MT.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 1
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
North-facing mudstone slopes in the alpine zone.
Ecological Systems Associated with this Species
- Commonly Associated with these Ecological Systems
Alpine Systems
Threats or Limiting Factors
STATE THREAT SCORE REASON
Threat impact not assigned because threats are not known (MTNHP Threat Assessment 2021).
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.- Soreng, R.J. 1991. Notes on new infraspecific taxa and hybrids in North American Poa (Poaceae). Phytologia 71(5):390-413.
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