Publication 1049

May 1959

630.4

C212

P1049

1959

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gSTLBSS'SSB*

GRASSES

OF THE OTTAWA DISTRICT

WILLIAM G. DORE

liiniSTlRE BE L'MRIOULW*

UWUMft — B*BUOia£OttE

OTTM**, CAH&OA
«1A CSS

CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Price $1.00

Publication 1049 * May 1959

Price $1.00

GRASSES

of the

OTTAWA DISTRICT

William G. Dore

Research Branch

Canada Department of Agriculture

Ottawa, Ontario

72578-1

CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION 1

FAMILY GRAMINEAE 5

TRIBE I FESTUCEAE 13

TRIBE II HORDEAE 29

TRIBE III AVENEAE 36

TRIBE IV AGROSTIDEAE 40

TRIBE V CHLORIDEAE 50

TRIBE VI PHALANDEAE ., 51

TRIBE VII ORYZEAE 53

TRIBE VIII ZIZANIEAE 55

TRIBE IX PANICEAE 56

TRIBE X ANDROPOGONEAE 67

TRIBE XI TRIPSACEAE 68

DISTRIBUTION MAPS OF SPECIES

AND THEIR INTERPRETATION 69

POSTGLACIAL HISTORY OF THE OTTAWA VALLEY 71

APPENDIX I : CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

OF COLLECTORS 73

APPENDIX II : CHECK LIST OF SPECIES 75

INTRODUCTION

The family Gramineae, because of the great economic importance of some
of its members, has probably received more attention from botanical and agricul-
tural workers than any other plant family; Because of the vast number of species
and the relative complexity of their diagnostic features, however, their identifi-
cation usually reguires the attention of a specialist.

The grass flora of the Ottawa area is now relatively well known, almost
certainly because of the long line of botanists, agronomists and naturalists who
have had an opportunity to study it. Among these students none has reached the
pre-eminence of M. Oscar Malte who, first as Dominion Agrostologist and later
as Chief Botanist of the National Herbarium, devoted much of his time to the
classification of Canadian grasses. At the time of his' unexpected death in 1933*
he had just completed the manuscript of the Gramineae section of a projected
flora of the Ottawa District started by his predecessors John and J.M. Macoun.
The work was to be a standard systematic treatment complete with keys for iden-
tification, technical synonymy and detailed descriptions of genera and species.
If it had appeared in print at that time, it would have provided an outstanding
contribution to the knowledge of the grasses. The classification of grasses was
then in a confused state and more in need or revision than at the present time.

Since 1953., we have seen the publication of two editions of A.S. Hitchcock's.
Manual of the Grasses of the United States, an eighth edition of Gray's Manual
of Botany by M.L. Fernald, and a third edition of 'Britton and Brown' edited by
H.A. Gleason and entitled New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora. These three
works covering a broad geographic area are guite adeguate for use in the Ottawa
District. They contain full descriptions as well as illustrations of all species
represented locally.

In the preparation of the present treatment it was thought unnecessary to
repeat such descriptive features. Instead, the attempt was to concentrate on
the occurrence and local abundance of the various species and on their habits
of growth. At the same time the aim was to provide an aid for identification by
means of keys based on characters as conspicuous and distinctive as possible.
The accomplishment of this latter aim has been made somewhat easier because of
the few entities that are involved in an area of restricted dimension. It should
be mentioned nevertheless, that, compared to other areas of- equal size in Canada,
the Ottawa District possesses a rather rich flora. This is due probably to the
great variety of habitats found here as well as to the complexity of its physi-
ographic history.

The 'Ottawa District' has been arbitrarily defined as the area around* the
city of Ottawa contained within a 30-mile radius. The precise locus of this radius
has been taken as the Peace Tower of the Parliament Buildings. Besides being

* For obituary see Can. Field Nat. 48: 89-93, 1934.

Fig. 1. Map of the Ottawa District as delimited by the circle of 30-mile radius
centered on the tower of the Parliament Buildings and showing the
collecting localities mentioned in the text. The Ottawa River flowing
from west to east roughly bisects the District and forms the provincial
boundary between Quebec (to the north) and Ontario (to the south).

a symbolic structure, it is a feature indicated on the detailed topographic map
and a landmark visible from many parts of the surrounding District. The District
is divided almost equally between the province of Quebec on the north and the
province of Ontario on the south by Ottawa River which flows from west to east
through its center. The map (Figure 1) shows the chief political divisions
(counties) of the District and marks the collecting localities mentioned in the text.

Most of the 2,250 specimens of grasses on which the identifications and
reports are based are preserved in the herbaria of the Department of Agriculture
(DAO) and the National Museum of Canada (CAN) in Ottawa, as of 1953. A few
of the early District collections are at Queen's University (Q) and the University
of Toronto (TRT). In addition to herbarium specimens, field records based on
observations of the author have been used to fill out the distribution data. Spec-
imens collected since 1953 have been admitted to the distribution maps, but only
as ''records'' since they were obtained after the conception of distributional
affinities had been established. It has not been feasible to cite individual spec-
imens otner than those of particular interest. Some acknowledgment of the
contribution made by the various collectors who have gathered, prepared, and
annotated specimens, however, is given in the appendix (Appendix I) listing the
number of collections made each year from 1862 to 1953.

The sequence of tribes and genera follows that of Hitchcock's Manual, a
sequence still acceptable to many North American authors on grasses. The
species within a genus, however, are numbered in the order in which they happen
to fall in the key and, as a result, their order is not necessarily that of their
natural relationship. The generic descriptions apply only to the species found in
the District. Synonymous names are mentioned when the accepted name differs
from that used in the three manuals mentioned above.

The first List of Plants Collected by Mr. B. Billings in the Vicinity of
Ottawa, During the Summer of 1866 (Trans. Ott. Nat. Hist. Soc. 16-page separate)
included 22 grass species. In James Fletcher's "Flora Ottawaensis" published
in 1880 (Trans. Ott. Field Nat. Club 1: 59-60, 1880) 50 grasses were listed, and,
in subsequent issues up to 1893 *, 20 additions were made. Of these 70 species,
the names of 20 are now obsolete. Further additions to the grass flora published
in The Ottawa Naturalist up to 1913, accounted for 7 more species. Malte's
manuscript treated 95 species of which 20 had names now outmoded. Dore and
Groh in their ''List of grasses of the Ottawa District" (Can. Field Nat. 52: 53-55,
1938) and its supplement (Can. Field Nat. 58: 193, 1944) gave 112 species,
eleven of which now have obsolete names. The present treatment contains 124
species, with 30 additional varieties or forms. Of these species, 71 are native
in the District; 53 are introduced and, in most instances, naturalized. From the
check list in the appendix (Appendix II) the date of the first collection is noted
and this date, in the case of alien species, indicates to some extent the time
of their arrival. A few of the adventive species, such as Bromus secalinus,
Cynosurus cristatus, Lolium multiflorum and perenne, Avena fatua and Phalaris
canadensis are continually being brought in but seem unable to naturalize under

Boivin, B. and W.J. Cody. Bibliographic survey of James Fletcher's
flora Ottawaensis. Can. Field Nat. 69: 79-82, 1955.

72578-2

our conditions. A large number of foreign species grown in introduction nurseries
and check plots at the Experimental Farm are not treated as belonging to the
flora of the District. The species commonly cultivated in fields, lawns and
gardens, however, are mentioned.

Family: GRAMINEAE

Briefly, the family includes monocotyledonous plants with noded, usually
hollow, culms% 2-ranked leaves, and fibrous roots of temporary duration. The
leaves are divided into sheath and blade at the collar where a ligule is situated
on the inside. The florets consisting of two scales, a lemma and a palet, and
their included sexual organs are borne either singly or in numbers on the axis
(rachilla) of the spikelet which has two subtending scales, the lower and upper,
or first and second glumes. The spikeiets are arranged variously on the axis
(rachis)oi branches of the inflorescence or head. The three anthers are versatile;
the ovary bearing 2 plumose stigmas, develops into a fruit (a grain or caryopsis)
with a single embryo situated basally on the side of a larger endosperm.
Considerable variability in the structure, appendages and number of these parts
is encountered and provides the basis for separation of the genera and species
in the keys. Two lodicules, diagnostic for the family, are not important in the
subordinate classification.

72578-2y2

KEY TO GENERA

1. Spikelets bisexual, if some spikelets unisexual or neuter these distributed
uniformly throughout the inflorescence and regularly among the bisexual.

2. Spikelets 1- to several-floreted, usually flattened laterally (i.e. compressed
so that the margins of glumes and lemmas appear on the faces of the
spikelet, the midveins forming the creased edges of the spikelet); axis of
the spikelet breaking up at maturity between the glumes and the lowest
floret and generally between each floret, also often below the glumes; a
floret does not terminate the spikelet-axis (rachilla) which is usually
prolonged beyond the uppermost floret as a slender or rudimentary appendage.

3. Spikelets in open, contracted, or occasionally spike-like panicles (but
not in true spikes) where the individual spikelets have at least a short
stalk.

4. Spikelets with 2 or more florets which produce fruit.

5. Glumes shorter than the body of the first lemma; lemmas, if awned,
with the awn arising as a continuation of its tip or from between its
two terminal teeth (TRIBE I. FESTUCEAE).

6. Stems usually less than 1.5 metres tall, not cane-like; blades
less than 2 cm. broad; rachilla hairless or short-hairy.

7. Callus of lemma naked or provided with curled soft hairs;
sheaths open or closed to near the top; ligule free at margins.

8. Ligule membranous; lemmas 5- to many-veined (veins some-
times obscure).

9. Lemma awned (awn sometimes short) just below bifid tip;
spikelets over 12 mm. long; grain pubescent at summit,
adherent to palet 7. Bromus

9. Lemma awnless or awn-tipped; spikelets less than 12mm.
long; grain glabrous and free from palet.

10. Spikelets in open or contracted panicles, uniformly
disposed (i.e. not aggregated into clusters or pairs)
and distinctly pediceled.

11. Lemmas keeled on the back, awnless, usually with
a tuft of curled hairs from the back of the callus and
with soft hairs from the midrib 5. Poo

11. Lemmas rounded on the back, hairless or with short
hairs uniformly distributed over back.

12. Lemma acute, with veins converging towards the
tip .which is sometimes awned; ligule very short.

Grasses of drained soil 2. Festuca

12. Lemma obtuse or rounded at apex, the veins not
converging, awnless; ligule thin, long, membra-
nous. Aquatic or wet-land grasses.

13. Second glume 1-veined; lemmas 7-veined;
sheaths closed to near the top (sometimes
rupturing along membranous front); rhizomes
present 3. Glyceria

13. Second glume 3-veined; lemmas 5-veined;
sheaths open to base; rhizomes absent.
4. Torreyocn/oo

10. Spikelets on very short pedicels, crowded in one-sided
clusters or "spikes".

14. Spikelets crowded in clusters at ends of stiff naked
panicle branches; sheaths flattened 8. Dactylis

14. Spikelets in a slender spike-like panicle, in pairs
with a short-stalked sterile spikelet with narrow
pectinate lemmas and a sessile fertile spikelet at
each node; sheaths terete 9. Cynosurus

8. Ligule a row of short hairs; lemmas 3-veined, hairless,
awnless.

15. Low annuals 6. Eragrostis

15. Coarse perennial 7. Molinia

7. Callus of lemma bearded with stiff straight hairs (otherwise
lemma hairless); sheath closed to top and the membranous
ligule encircling the culm; lemmas awned. .. J7. Schizachne

6. Stems tall (2 to 3 metres) with cane-like, usually red culms
and broad (2 to 3 cm.) blades; rachilla covered with long silky
hairs which at maturity exceed the glumes; ligule a row of
short matted hairs 70. Phrogmites

5. Glumes as long as the body of the first lemma or longer, often
enclosing all the florets; the awn of the lemma, if present,
arising from the back of the lemma or below its two terminal
teeth (TRIBE III. AVENEAE).

16. Ligule membranous; no tuft of hairs at collar of sheath.

17. Perennials; spikelets less than 12 mm. long.

18. Awns absent.

19. Spikelets falling away completely at maturity; first

glume very narrow; second glume broad at top.
79. Sphenopholis

19. Florets falling from spikelet at maturity, leaving the
glumes on the pedicels; glumes nearly equal in size
and shape 20. Trisetum

18. Awns present.

20. Foliage pubescent; panicle spike-like. ,#< 20. Trisetum
20. Foliage hairless; panicle diffuse 21. Deschampsia

17. Annuals; spikelets over 12 mm. long 22. Avena

16. Ligule a row of fine hairs; a tuft of long hairs at collar.
23. Danthonia

4. Spikelets with but 1 fruit-producing floret; sterile or staminate
florets, if any, situated below the pistillate floret.

21. Glumes present (one may be greatly reduced or obsolete).

22. Spikelets with one floret, this perfect; glumes longer or shorter
than the spikelet (TRIBE IV. AGROSTIDEAE).

23. Lemma as thin as or thinner than the glumes; spikelets
terete or flattened.

24. Spikelets (exclusive of awns) less than 7 mm. long;
glumes well-developed (if very short, then lemma awnless);
anthers three, sometimes one; foliage hairless.

25. Ligule membranous.

26. Plants tufted, stoloniferous or rhizomatous (with
deep slender rhizomes with scale leaves readily
decaying) and rooted at nodes.

27. Panicle open, or if contracted, the branches much
longer than the spikelets; spikelets terete; glumes
distinguishable as upper and lower and free at
base, scabrous or hairless.

28. Lemma with numerous delicate hairs arising
at its base and equaling at least half its
length 24. Calamagrostis

28. Lemma hairless at base.

29. Glumes somewhat longer than lemma.

30. Rachilla not prolonged beyond the sessile
floret; palet very thin, half as long as
lemma, or obsolete; lemma awnless or

8

with a twisted awn from back; anthers
three; ripe grain falling with lemma, the
glumes separating later 25. Agrostis

30. Rachilla produced beyond floret as a
slender naked bristle; floret on a short
stipe; palet almost as long as lemma and
of similar texture; lemma with short awn
near bifid tip; anther solitary; ripe grain

falling away in complete spikelet

26. Cinna

29. Glumes much shorter than lemma

29. Muhlenbergia

27. Panicle cylindrical, dense and spike-like, its
branches shorter than the .spikelets; spikelets
laterally flattened; glumes identical and fused
together at base, pubescent.

31. Lemma awnless; glumes with awn-tips; palet
present 28. Phleum

31. Lemma awned from back; glumes awnless;
palet absent 27. Alopecurus

26. Plants with short, twisted rhizomes with numerous
small overlapping scale-leaves, shallowly placed
in soil and easily pulling up with plant, not rooted
at nodes 29. Muhlenbergia

25. Ligule a fringe of fine hairs 30. Sporobolus

24. Spikelets over 7 mm. long; glumes very short, almost
obsolete; lemma long-awned from tip; anthers two; blades
pilose at least beneath, broad 37. Brachyelytrum

23. Lemma firmer in texture than glumes, hard and shiny, terete
or flattened dorsi-ventrally; plants tufted.

32. Lemma awnless, hairless, somewhat flattened; palet of
similar texture and not covered by lemma; panicle bran-
ches rebranching; blades broad, soft and flat

32. Milium

32. Lemma awned from tip with deciduous awn, oppressed
pubescent, terete and enclosing the palet; panicle with
simple or once-forked branches; blades coarse, involute
or rolling in on drying 33. Oryzopsis

22. Spikelets with the two florets below the fruit-producing floret
reduced to scale-like lemmas or staminate; glumes (excluding

awns) longer than the spikelet (TRIBE VI. PHALARIDEAE).

33. Lemmas of sterile florets equaling or exceeding the fertile
lemma in length; inflorescence golden brown, appearing in
May or June; foliage bitter-tasting when fresh, sweet-scented
when dry.

34. Glumes equal in size and shape, broad; lower florets
staminate with broad acute lemmas; panicle open; basal
blades much longer than culm and appearing later in
season, hairless 35. H/erocMoe

34. Second glume much longer than first, wrapped around
florets; lower florets neuter with narrow lemmas 2-lobed
at apex; panicle spike-like; basal and culm leaves similar,
pubescent 36. Anthoxanthum

33. Lemmas of sterile florets much shorter than the fertile
lemma; inflorescence greenish, pale or purple-tinged,
appearing in middle or late summer; foliage not flavored
or scented 37. Phalaris

21. Glumes absent; lemmas broad and much flattened (TRIBE VII.
ORYZEAE) 38. Leersia

3. Spikelets borne in true spikes (i.e. sessile on the inflorescence-axis
or its branches).

35. Spike solitary with the axis segments flattened or concave on
alternative sides and with one, two or three spikelets at each node
(TRIBE II. HORDEAE).

36. Spikelets single at each node of the spike-axis (sometimes in
pairs at lower nodes).

37. Spikelets with edge of lemmas next to spike-axis; both glumes
present.

38. Perennials; spikes slender with 4- to 12-floreted spikelets.
12. Agropyron

38. Annual (or winter-annual), cultivated cereal grasses; spikes
dense and stout with 2- to 5-floreted spikelets.

39. Glumes broad, 3-veined; lemmas awnless or long-awned;
spikelets generally 3- to 5-floreted 13. Triticum

39. Glumes narrow, bristle-like, 1-veined; lemmas long-awned;

spikelets generally 2-floreted 14. Secale

37. Spikelets with backs of one row of lemmas next the spike-axis;

lower glume absent (except in terminal spikelet)

18. Lolium

10

36. Spikelets more than one at each node of spike-axis.

40. Spikelets two at each node, both alike.

41. Glumes well developed; spike dense, with oppressed or
ascending spikelets J5. Elymus

41. Glumes obsolete or present as slender bristles; spike loose,
with spikelets spreading horizontally after flowering.
16. Hystrix

40. Spikelets three at a node, the two lateral ones often reduced
and sterile 17. Hordeum

35. Spikes several, arranged racemosely in the inflorescence; spikelets
single and closely overlapping along one side of the axis of each
spike (TRIBE V. CHLORIDEAE) 34. Spartina

2. Spikelets with two florets but the lower one sterile and usually reduced
to a lemma of similar size and texture to the upper glume, the upper
perfect and producing a grain, its lemma often of firmer texture than the
glumes; spikelet usually flattened dorsally (i.e. the midvein of glumes and
lemmas appear on the faces of the spikelet); axis of spikelet breaking up
between the first and second floret and below the glumes (but not immedi-
ately above the glumes), very short and not prolonged beyond the second
floret which therefore terminates it.

42 Spikelets all alike, fruit-producing; lower glume shorter than the upper;
culm hollow in the internodes (TRIBE IX. PANICEAE).

43. Spikelets not surrounded by bristles; inflorescence a panicle, or of
digitate racemes.

44. Ligule evident; spikelets awnless, often pubescent but not
stiffly hispid.

45. Ligule thin-membranous; inflorescence of several racemes,
digitate at the top of the culm; spikelets in pairs, oppressed
along one side of the raceme-axis 40. Digitaria

45. Ligule a row of hairs, often fused together in a membranous
base; inflorescence a panicle, generally diffuse; spikelets not
regularly paired 41. Panicum

44. Ligule absent; spikelets with coarsely awn-tipped glume or sterile
lemma and with coarse trichomes 42. Echinochloa

43. Spikelets arranged in dense spike-like panicles, one to several
slender bristles arising just below each spikelet; ligule a row of
short hairs 43. Setaria

42. Spikelets in pairs of two types at each joint of the hairy inflorescence-
branch, one sessile and perfect, the other on a slender pedicel and

72578-3

11

sterile, reduced in size or absent (only the pedicel present); . lower
glume longer than the upper; culm solid (TRIBE X. ANDROPOGONEAE).

46. Racemes with 6 to 10 fertile spikelets, solitary or few and digitate

at the ends of the culm; rudimentary floret present, neuter

44. Andropogon

46. Racemes with 2 to 5 fertile spikelets, numerous in an elongated
panicle.

47. Pedicellate floret staminate. Large cultivated annual grasses.
45. Sorghum

47. Pedicellate floret entirely lacking from top of pedicel. Slender
native perennial 46. Sorghastrum

1. Spikelets unisexual, segregated into different parts of the plant.

48. Pistillate spikelets borne on upper branches of the terminal panicle,
staminate spikelets on lower branches of the same panicle; aquatic annuals
with thin partitions in an otherwise hollow culm (TRIBE VIII. ZIZANIEAE).
39. Zizania

48. Pistillate spikelets densely aggregated into "ears" on short lateral
branches of the culm, staminate spikelets in terminal panicle; cultivatea
annual with pith-filled culm (TRIBE XI. TRIPSACEAE) 47. Zea

12

TRIBE I. FESTUCEAE

7. Bromus L.

Annual or perennial grasses with large spreading panicles and several-
floreted spikelets. Lemmas awned from below a bidentate tip. Grain pubescent -at
the tip and adherent to the palet. Blades broad and flat; sheaths closed to near
the top; ligule membranous.

A. Perennials, vegetative shoots present; ligule less than 1 mm. long, firm and
brownish, dried at edge.

B. Rhizomes present; lemmas with awns less than 2 mm. long, glabrous or
sparsely puberulent near base; introduced 7. 8. inermis

B. Rhizomes absent; lemmas long-awned, pubescent; natives.

C. Lemmas with a dense fringe of hairs along the margins, the back being
hairless 2. 8. ciliatus

C. Lemmas uniformly pubescent.

D. Lemmas and glumes distinctly hairy; blades 3 or 4; sheaths not
flanged at top; ligule not hairy; panicle nodding 3. 8. kalmii

D. Lemmas minutely hairy; glumes scabrous only on the veins; blades
6 to 10 per culm; sheaths overlapping the nodes, flanged and with
auricles at the top; ligule hairy on back; panicle branches wide-
spreading 4. 8. purgans

A. Annuals, all shoots producing panicles; ligule 1 to 3 mm. long, thin-membranous
and dentate at edge.

E. Lemma firm and broad, hairless, its teeth blunt, firm and less than 1 mm.
long, its callus blunt.

F. Foliage hairless; awn shorter than lemma (sometimes almost lacking)
and kinked 5. B. secalinus

F. Foliage pubescent; awn longer than lemma, straight or curved on drying.
6. 8. japonicus

E. Lemma slender, with transparent membranous margins, its teeth slender,
membranous and 2 to 3 mm. long, its callus sharp-pointed; foliage pubescent
7. B. tectorum

7. Bromus inermis Leyss. AWNLESS BROME-GRASS; SMOOTH BROME-GRASS

An important economic grass introduced from southern Europe, 'Brome' is
being used to an increasing extent for hay and pasturage in the District. Because
of its strong sod-forming characteristics it is most effective in holding road banks
against erosion; sown for this purpose, it has become conspicuous within the

72578-3y2

13

last few years along road shoulders, particularly in those stretches out from
Ottawa, Hull and Aylmer where almost continuous stands have formed. Great
variation can be seen in the size, color and attitude of the inflorescence. Such
features show up most strikingly in the clonal patches when in bloom about the
end of June. First collected in "open woods, Glebe" by Harrington in 1906. Map 1.

Late in the season proliferous spikelets are sometimes produced in second-
growth panicles (f. proliferus Louis-Marie), but such physiological growth-phases
are usually not given technical names.

2. Bromus ciliatus L. FRINGED BROME-GRASS

The most common of our native brome-grasses, freguent in moist open wood-
lands and along rocky roadsides.

Considerable variation is shown in the degree of pubescence of the foliage.
Certain plants can be placed in the hairless or nearly hairless typical variety,
var. ciliatus (var. genuinus Fern.; var. denudatus (Wieg.) Fern.), and others in
the densely pubescent variety, var. intonsus Fern. Both are about egually common
(9 vs 14 specimens) and show no difference in habitat or distribution within the
District. Late-developing plants with sparser panicles, maturing with red-tinged
spikelets and expanded palets, have been described as B. dudleyi Fern. (Rhodora
32: 63, 1930). A specimen (Wakefield Lake, Senn 399) has been so reported
(Dore & Groh, 1944), but this entity should not now be retained. Map 2.

3. Bromus kalmii Gray KALM'S BROME-GRASS

A rare native species, attractive in its drooping panicles of hairy spikelets
which turn purplish brown after flowering, and in its erect, relatively broad and
mainly basal, pilose blades.

Known to occur in the sand at Constance Bay, and on shallow limestone
plains near Harwood Plains and at the Burnt Lands east of Almonte where it
grows in considerable abundance. The earlier collections at Hull (Fletcher in
1880),Rockcliffe [Wacoun in 1911) and Lemieux Island (Make in 1923) have never
been repeated; at these stations, the plants are now probably extinct. It seems
to have persisted in habitats that have never become solidly wooded over, such
as terrain excessively dry in midsummer but completely saturated for long periods
in spring or after prolonged rains. It enters the District on the fringe of its wider
range to the west. It likely migrated over denuded rocky hills during a period
when the climate was more favorable for its spread. Map 3.

4. Bromus purqans L. FLANGE-SHEATHED BROME-GRASS

A large native species distinctive in its numerous blades and strongly
auricled sheaths which conceal the culm except immediately below the panicle.
Very rare in the District; known only from the banks of Rideau River at Billings
Bridge (Make in 1922), of North Castor River near Edwards (Dore & Moore in
1949), and of Bear Brook near Bourget (Dore in 1953). It extends from southern
Quebec through the lower Ottawa Valley up to these stations with further, and

14

apparently isolated, occurrences along Picanoc River and Kazabazua Creek about
50 miles north of Ottawa. Map 4.

Until recently (see Wagnon, in Rhodora 52: 209-215, 1950), this species was
known as B. latiglumis (Shear) Hitchc, under which name it still appears in most
manuals; the "B. purgans" of current manuals does not occur in the District.
Our specimens are less pubescent on the glumes, lemmas, and sheaths than others
within the range of the species.

This tall leafy species might repay investigation from the standpoint of its
value as a hay grass. The spikelets are sometimes parasitized by a gall-producing
mite; a similar condition is freguent in B. ciliatus.

5. Bromus secalinus L. CHESS

A serious weed in grain fields in southwestern Ontario but not so in the
Ottawa District. Specimens have been collected at Galetta (wheat fields, Whyte
in 1879), Ottawa (in 1894), Wakefield (along railway track, Macoun in 1903), and
Chaudiere (in C.P.R. yard, Macoun in 1903). As no plants have been found
since 1903, it must be assumed that the early introductions have not survived,
conditions in the District having proved unsuitable for persistence of this grass.
Map 5.

Chess, also known as Cheat, occurs so consistently as a weed in wheat
fields in Europe that an old belief contends that wheat grains remaining on the
ground over winter evolve in some mysterious way into cheat the next year. This
belief was early carried over to America and continued to be firmly held. In fact
the Dominion Botanist, in 1909, found it necessary to put out demonstration plots
of wheat and cheat side by side at the Experimental Farm to prove to farmers that
the belief was false (Ann. Rpt. Exp. Farms for 1909-10: 283). Incidental to this
demonstration, it was found that B. secalinus when planted in the fall gave a high
yield of good guality hay early the next summer. There is no present evidence,
however, that the grass was put to this purpose.

6. Bromus japonicus Thunb. JAPANESE CHESS

A serious weed in the United States and becoming so in southwestern
Ontario and in southern Alberta. In 1935 plants were collected in a seeded pasture
plot on the Experimental Farm (Dore 1) and in 1952 an infestation in the Forage
Introduction Nursery was noted (Jenkins 4090). In 1949 plants were found in a
lawn constructed of new soil at Woodroffe (Frankton 848) but these were individu-
ally eradicated. Other establishments may already exist in District. Map 6.

7. Bromus tectorum L. DOWNY CHESS

A recent arrival in the District and, in contrast to B. secalinus, threatens to
spread and become a most bothersome weed. First collected in 1946 at Beechgrove
(Groh 2729), then at Woodroffe in 1950 and 1951 (Frankton 1130, 1304) and at
Wakefield in 1953 (Dore 14219), at each place occurring on cinders along rail-
roads. In 1955 the Wakefield infestation was again investigated and incipient

15

stands were found, presumably havina recently spread from that original locus
in an essentially continuous band along the railroad tracks as far as Farrellton,
with more scattered patches at Low, Venosta and Kazabazua stations. It had not
then spread to adjacent land or roadsides. Map 7.

The weed appears to have encroached on the District from the southwest.
It reached Smiths Falls in 1943 {Groh 1947) and occurred earlier at places farther
removed in that general direction. Its panicle matures early and the spikelets
break up readily; the sharp-pointed 'seeds' are capable of working their way into
clothing or into the fur and the skin of animals causing annoyance and possible
infection.

Bromus arvensis L. Collected at the Experimental Farm in 1923 (Make), it has
not persisted nor spread as at some other places in Ontario.

Bromus pumpellianus Scribn. A native species of western Canada and rather
similar to the alien B. inermis, is shown in a published plot-map (Elliott, Evolu-
tion 3: 142-149, 1949) as occurring approximately at Ottawa. This record is con-
sidered to be erroneous; no specimens have been collected in eastern Ontario
or Quebec.

2. Festuco L.

Perennials with or without creeping rhizomes. Inflorescence a panicle;
spikelets 2- to many-floreted. Glumes unegual in length, sharp-pointed. Lemmas
firm, rounded on the back and often tapering into an awn, their veins 5 in number
or obscure. Foliage hairless; sheaths closed; ligule membranous, very short.

A. Blades over 2 mm. broad, flat.

B. Spikelets 4- to 10-floreted, borne throughout the panicle; lemmas 5 to 7
mm. long with thin membranous tips; introduced species.

C. Panicle closely contracted and usually curved after flowering, plant not
densely tufted; auricles not ciliate 7. F. e/of/or

C. Panicle branches stiffer and spreading; plants forming dense tussocks;
auricles ciliate 2. F. arundinacea

B. Spikelets 3- to 5-floreted, borne near tips of the long spreading panicle
branches; lemmas firm to tip, inconspicuously veined; a native species
of woods 3. F. obtusa

A. Blades narrow, usually permanently folded and slender-cylindrical, less than
2 mm. in diameter.

D. Lemmas awned; blades 0.5 to 1.5 mm. in diameter.

E. Dead sheaths at base of plant red-brown or dark brown, splitting between
the veins into fibers; rhizomes present 4. F. rubra

•

E. Dead sheaths whitish or drab-colored, smooth and leathery, not breaking
up into fibers; rhizomes absent, plants densely clumped 5. F. ovina

16

D. Lemmas awnless or with short awn-tips less than 0.5 mm. long; leaves
very fine, 0.1 to 0.2 mm. in diameter 6. F. capillata

1. Festuca elatior L. MEADOW FESCUE

A valuable hay and pasture species, commonly established through seeding
but not widely escaped in District. The first specimen was collected by Macoun
in 1898 along the railway, Mallock's Bay, Chaudiere. (F. pratensis Huds.; F.
elatior var. pratensis (Huds.) Gray) Map 8.

2. Festuca arundinacea Achreb. TALL FESCUE

Three collections have been made: Deschenes (Dore in 1940), where the
stand is extensive; Britannia {Breitung in 1948); Bells Corners {Dore in 1953),
where there was a single clump on the highway shoulder. The plant is easily
distinguished from F. elatior in the field by its coarser, taller growth and tussock-
like habit; consequently, if it were now more widely established in the District,
its presence would have been detected more frequently. Map 9.

It is often considered to be a variety of F. elatior (2n = 14) but since it is
hexaploid (2n = 42) and has certain distinctive morphological characters, it should
be kept separate as a species. Commercial strains known as 'Alta-fescue' and
'Kentucky-31' are now becoming available, especially for turf purposes. (F.
elatior var. arundinacea (Schreb.) Wimm.)

3. Festuca obtusa Biehler NODDING FESCUE

A species characteristic of deciduous woods of Maple, Beech and Basswood,
and, in the District, probably at the northern limit of its range. The tufted, dark
green foliage and slender, leaning culms mark the species, especially in mid-June
when the loose panicles are in flower; the grains ripen early and the spikelets
soon shatter. Becoming scarce in the District, now restricted to undisturbed dry
woods; our only native species of Fescue. (F. nutans Spreng.) Map 10.

4. Festuca rubra L. RED FESCUE

Certain 'creeping7 strains of this species are excellent sod-formers and are
now widely used for lawns where a dense uniform sward of narrow, bright green
leaves is desired. Not native to the District, as yet escaped only sparingly to
roadsides and waste places; first collected in 1926 {Groh); several indigenous
variants are to be found in other parts of Canada. Map 11.

5. Festuca ovina L. var duriuscula (L.) Koch HARD FESCUE

Firmly established in sandy soil at several places in and near the City;
originally introduced, probably as a lawn species, and widely planted. Because
of its hard tufted growth, however, it is quite undesirable for turf and better spec-
ies and strains of fescue now replace it. On the other hand, it will grow on sites
where few other grasses will survive. Extensive stands are found on the deep
sand deposit surrounding the 'Sandpits' at Uplands or on the face of the hill in

17

the Arboretum, exposed to severe climatic conditions in the winter and to almost
continuous wear by the public. Elsewhere in the Arboretum, the stands (which,
incidentally, show much variation in habit of growth and degree of greenness of
the blades) stop abruptly where the sand leaves off and the heavier soil begins.
Map 12.

A single collection of forma hispidula (Hack.) Holmb., with lemmas hairy,
has been made at Constance Bay (Breitung & Lloyd 3493),

6. Festuca capillata Lam. HAIR FESCUE

In some respects this species is a desirable lawn grass since it tolerates
the moist packed soil found in the shade of buildings in the city where other
species fail. It is a delicate, fine-leaved grass (but difficult to mow), forming
slowly expanding mats and is seldom seen in flower.

An extensive stand, possibly of a different strain than that found in old
lawns, exists as a weed in a neglected field on the sandstone west of Bells
Corners. This infestation is the only one of its kind in the District, similar to
numerous ones in the Maritime Provinces. Judging from its extent and density it
must have become established long before the first Ottawa District collections
in 1944. The field takes on a conspicuous bronze coloration during the first
week of June when the plants are in head and before other weeds exceed it in
height. (F. ovina var. capillata Alefeld) Map 13.

Vulpia octoflora (Walt.) Rydb. var. tenella (Willd.) Fern. - Located in 1949 along
the railroad tracks at Lawn Station, above Shawville, Que., about 40 miles north-
west of the City {Franhton et al. 872). A small, slender, weedy annual, probably
spreading from the west, it is expected to enter our limits soon. {Festuca octoflora
Walt., var. tenella (Willd.) Fern.)

3. Glyceria R. Br.

Perennial grasses of wet or aguatic habitats, producing rhizomes and bear-
ing open or contracted panicles. Spikelets 2- to 12-floreted. Glumes membranous,
shorter than the spikelet, 1-veined. Lemmas 7-veined, rounded on the back, awn-
less, smooth or scabrous but without hairs, the veins usually raised and distinct.
Foliage smooth or scabrous, without hairs; sheaths closed to near the top; ligule
thin-membranous; blades not ridged except for midrib. (Panicularia Heist.)

A. Spikelets elongate, over 10 mm. long, lying oppressed to the panicle branches
on pedicels shorter than the spikelet 7. G. borealis

A. Spikelets ovate to oblong, less than 8 mm. long, on diffuse branches or on
longer pedicels.

B. Panicle elongate, contracted, often nodding with ascending overlapping
branches 2. G. melicaria

B. Panicle loose with spreading or drooping branches.

C. Lemma smooth, with obscure veins 3. G. canadensis

18

D. Spikelets with 5 to 10 florets; lemmas 3 to 4 mm. long

var. canadensis

D. Spikelets with 3 to 6 florets; lemmas 2 to 3 mm. long

var. laxa

C. Lemmas ridged, with prominent veins.

E. Panicle usually less than 20 cm. long; spikelets 3 to 4 mm. long;
lower glume 1 mm. long or shorter 4. G. striata

F. Plants 50 to 150 cm. tall; blades up to 7 mm. broad; panicle 10 to
20 cm. long; spikelets usually green; lemmas 1.5 to 1.8 mm. long.
var. striata

F. Plants 20 to 70 cm. tall, blades up to 4 mm. broad; panicle 5 to
15 cm. long; spikelets usually purple; lemmas 2.0 to 2.2 mm. long.
var. stricta

E. Panicle large and ample, 15 to 40 cm. long; leaves 7 to 17 mm. wide;
spikelets 5 to 8 mm. long; first glume over 1 mm. long.

G. First glume 1.2 to 1.5 mm. long; spikelets purplish or green (rarely
yellow-green, as in f. pallescens)] panicle branches slender;
sheaths smooth; native 5. G. grandis

G. First glume 2.0 to 3.0 mm. long; spikelets brownish-yellow;

panicle branches stiff er; sheaths scabrous; introduced

6. G. maxima

h Glyceria boreal is (Nash) Batchelder NORTHERN MANNA-GRASS

Frequent in water along the shores of rivers, lakes and streams, often grow-
ing in large colonies. Early in the season the blades, greatly elongated, float
out parallel to each other on the surface of the water. A native species, wide-
spread across Canada. Map 14.

2. Glyceria melicaria (Michx.) F.T.Hubb. LONG MANNA-GRASS

Rare in the District; found in wet ground or along streams in the woods.
For many years known only from the collections of Whyte at "Ox-bow, Nation
River, 1889" and of Scott from Casselman in 1892, both just outside the eastern
boundary of the District. In 1922, Malte found it at Mahon Lake near Wakefield
and, subsequently, it has been collected at several other points on the Quebec
side of the River (at Buckingham, at Kingsmere and elsewhere in Gatineau Park,
near Luskville and north of Eardley). This species seems to have spread in a
westward direction, across the northern part of the District, continuing into Ont-
ario around Petawawa and the Mattawa River but not extending farther west in
Canada. (G. elongata Trin.; G. torreyana (Spreng.) Hitchc.) Map 15.

3. Glyceria canadensis (Michx.) Trin. CANADA MANNA-GRASS; RATTLESNAKE
GRASS

(a) Var. canadensis. Frequent on mucky lake margins, along edges of bogs

72578-4

19

or in open swamps and ditches throughout the District. A native plant, widespread
across Canada. Map 16.

(b) Var. laxa (Scribn.) Hitchc. Represented by only two collections, widely
separated in the District: from a roadside swamp north of Eardley (Dore &
Anderson 5095) and from an alder thicket bordering a ditch in Mer Bleue bog
(Jenkins 3161). Plants of var. canadensis with immature panicles are freguently
mistaken for it, yet some authors consider it a distinct species (G. laxa Scribn.)
Its taxonomic status is still poorly understood and possibly it is of hybrid origin.
The fact that it occurs sporadically across eastern Canada, generally as circum-
scribed clones, and often where the habitat has been disturbed, seems to indicate
such an origin. The following species are generally found growing in association
with it: G. canadensis var. canadensis, G. grandis, G. striata and Torreyochloa
fernaldii. Map 16.

4. Glyceria striata (Lam.) Hitchc. FOWL MANNA-GRASS

(a) Var. striata. Plants considered to be typical of the species are most
common in open swamps, in flowing ditches and along stream banks. In the shade
they tend to be weaker, more slender, with reflexed panicle branches and smaller,
2- or 3-floreted spikelets. Such ecads have created some difficulty in identifi-
cation. The distichous arrangement of the blades on the vegetative shoots shows
up well in these plants in wet pockets in woods where not obscured by other
plants. For such plants the local term 'fan grass' is appropiate.

(b) Var. stricta (Scribn.) Fern. Almost as common as var. striata but confined
more to wet fields and pastures or to shallow ditches and depressions where there
is no free movement of water. In general, this is the more abundant variety in
Canada, ranging farther to the north and completely across the country. Map 17.

5. Glyceria qrandis S.Wats. REED MANNA-GRASS

Common and abundant throughout the District, in ditches, open swamps and
on muddy stream banks. A native species, widespread across Canada.

Forma pallescens Fern. A rare color-variant found sporadically within
populations of the typical purple-panicled form. First detected in 1953 as a single
small clone, conspicuous in its yellowish panicles amid a vast stretch of the
typical plant filling a wet meadow northwest of Hazeldean; found again in 1954,
but in larger and more dissected stands in wet fields along Mer Bleue. Map 18.

6. Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holmb. GREAT MANNA-GRASS, ENGLISH WATER-
GRASS

Following the detection of the stand at the Pakenham bridge by Gillett and
Bowden in 1952, a survey conducted by Gutteridge (Can. Field-Nat. 63: 133-135,
1954) revealed numerous stands on Mississippi River above and below Pakenham,
extending from a point just below Almonte down almost to Galetta. This large
aquatic grass has been established for a longer time at points in Ontario farther
to the south and west but is not known elsewhere in the New World; a native of

20

northern Europe. (G. spectabilis Mert. & Koch) Map 19.

4. Torreyochloa Church

Perennial aquatic grass producing weak reclining and rooting culms from a
non-rhizomatous base. Spikelets 5- to 7-floreted in a few-branched panicle. Glumes
membranous, shorter than the lemmas, the upper 3-veined. Lemmas rounded and
uniformly scabrous on the back with 5 raised veins and obtuse membranous tips,
awnless. Foliage hairless; blades scabrous and finely ridged above; sheaths
open to base; ligule long, thin-membranous.

7. Torreyochloa fernaldii (Hitchc.) Church FERNALD'S MANNA-GRASS

Shores of ponds, springs or in ditches cut through bogs and swamps, the
leaves and culms often extending into the water. An obscure grass, rather scarce
in the District. Map 20.

Closely related to T. pallida (Ton.) Church, as pointed out by Fassett
(Bui. Torrey Bot. CI. 73: 463-464, 1946), and to be considered as a variety of
that species with more northerly ranging distribution.

5. Poa L.

Perennial grasses (one a winter annual) of low to medium stature with
panicles of small (generally 3 to 6 mm.) spikelets. Spikelets flattened laterally
so that glumes and lemmas are keeled. Glumes and lemmas sharp-pointed but not
awned. Lemma with 5 veins, the midvein and 2 marginal veins sometimes the only
distinct ones; callus usually bearing a tuft of tangled web-like hairs; keel and
marginal veins often oppressed pilose. Foliage hairless, smooth or scabrous;
blades often folded; sheaths closed at least part way up; ligule membranous.

A. Underground scaly runners (rhizomes) present, plants consequently forming
spreading colonies.

B. Culms cylindrical, straight, with obscure nodes.

Also: panicle pyramidal, its branches generally in 5's and naked at base
for over 1 cm; spikelets numerous; lemmas copiously webbed at callus and
heavily pubescent on keel and marginal veins; rachilla hairless; blades deep
green, parallel-sided, often folded tightly, numerous on basalsterile shoots;
lower ligules 0.1 to 0.4 mm. long, firm, brownish, entire, ciliolate, scabrous;
naturalized; very common 7. P. pratensis

B. Culms flattened, somewhat zig-zag, with prominent dark nodes.

Also: panicle slender to narrowly pyramidal, its branches short, 1 or 2 per
node and naked for less than 0.5 cm. spikelets generally few; lemma with
scant web and thin pubescence on keel and marginal veins; rachilla hair-
less; blades glaucous green or tinged with purple, tapering to the tip from
a squarish base, flat or slightly folded, no leafy shoots at base of culm;
lower ligules about 0.7 mm. long, firm-membranous, white, entire, ciliolate,
scabrous; naturalized; common 2. P. compressor

A. Underground runners absent; plants in tufts or forming tufted scattered stands.

72S7B-4V2

21

C. Plants perennial with firm stems, well-rooted.

D. Lemmas webbed at callus.

E. Lemmas with pubescent keel.

F. Lemmas pubescent on marginal veins.

G. Ligule short, less than 1.0 mm. long.

H. Rachilla pilose.

Also: plant dark green; panicle narrow-pyramidal, sometimes
nodding, its branches divaricately rebranched and spreading
in bloom; spikelets few, at end of branchlets, 2- to 4-floreted;
glumes narrow with white margins, tapering gradually into
awn-like tip; rachilla short-pilose; blades dark green, narrow
(up to 2 mm. broad), flat, finely few-veined above, scabrous,
sguare at base and spreading horizontally from stem; sheaths
split to near base; ligule less than 0.5 mm. long, white,
finely ciliolate; culms slender, cylindrical or slightly com-
pressed, with dark exposed nodes, bearing leaves to near
top; old naked culm-bases with enlarged nodes, prostrate
and branching on surface or shallowly in soil; introduced;
scarce; 3. P. nemoralis

H. Rachilla hairless.

Also: plant strongly glaucous; panicle narrow pyramidal,
erect, its branches wide-spreading and branchlets divaricate
at flowering, contracted before and after flowering; spikelets
rather few, 1- or 2-floreted usually glumes narrow with white
margins, acuminate; rachilla hairless; blades 1.5 to 2.5 mm.
broad, short, finely few-veined above, scabrous, ascending;
sheaths split to near base; ligule 0.7 to 0.9 mm. long,
whitish, transparent, ciliolate, sparse-scabrous on back;
culms rather coarse and stiff, cylindrical, the nodes covered
by the sheaths, upper half leafless; shallow soil on rock
ledges; native; rare 4. P. (? qlauca)

G. Ligule long, over 1.5 mm. long.

Also: panicle broad-pyramidal in bloom, ample, its branches
ascending; spikelets numerous; glumes broader and more. abrupt-
ly acute; rachilla hairless; blades generally yellowish-green or
tinged with purple, flat, firm, inconspicuously several-veined,
closely ascending; sheaths split to near base; ligule whitish-
transparent, thin, 1.5 to 3.0 mm. long, erose, scabrous; stems
rather coarse, often reclining and rebranching late in season
and sending up smaller secondary inflorescences; native;
common 5. P. palustris

F. Lemmas lacking hairs on marginal veins.

I. Lower ligules very short (less than 0.5 mm. long); sheaths

22

smooth.

Also: panicle large, its branches in 5's, long and ascending or
spreading horizontally, not often drooping; spikelets few, toward
end of branches; blades flat with numerous prominent, scabrous
veins on upper surface; sheath closed to near top; lower ligules
very short (often less than 0.1 mm. long), thin, transparent; culms
leafy at base; native; scarce 6. P. alsodes

I. Lower ligules long (1 to 4 mm.); sheaths slightly rough to the touch.

Also: panicle large, its branches 2 to numerous at each node,
ascending or spreading at anthesis; spikelets numerous, well
distributed on branches; glumes and lemmas white-margined; blades
yellow-green and shiny on the back, the sheaths often pink or
purple; ligules long (up to 8 mm.), thin, whitish; culms usually
bent at base; introduced but not persisting 7. P. trivialis

E. Lemmas lacking hairs on keel.

Also: panicle nodding with the branches in 2's, long and slender,
with the few spikelets at their ends; lemma with scant callus web,
otherwise hairless; blades with thin cartilaginous margins with fine
close serrations, otherwise smooth; sheaths closed to top or nearly
so, basal ones often purplish-red; ligule 1.0 to 1.5 mm. long, thin,
white, toothed on margin, hairless on back; culms leafy at base;
native; scarce. 8. P. saltuensis

D. Lemmas not webbed at callus.

Also: panicle large, open and nodding, its branches about 5 per node
with the spikelets numerous toward their ends; blades broader than in
any other species (about 1 cm. wide), firm, pale green; sheaths flattened,
scabrous; ligule long (3 to 5 mm.), membranous, yellowish, hairless;
plants forming dense tussocks; introduced; rare 9. P. chaixii

C. Plants winter-annual, with soft weakly rooted base.

Also: panicle pyramidal, small but with numerous spikelets on the short
branches; the branches mainly 1 or 2 per node, flowering and fruiting at all
seasons; lemmas usually distinctly 5-veined, variable in pubescence from
essentially hairless to oppressed pilose on lower half of keel to densely
pilose on lower part of keel, marginal veins and sometimes on intermediate
veins, the callus essentially lacking a web; blades soft, bright yellow-green,
flat or folded, generally with cross-wrinkles; ligule white, thin, entire,
hairless, about 1 mm. long; naturalized; very common 10. P. annua

7. Poo pratensis L. MEADOW POA; KENTUCKY BLUE-GRASS; SMOOTH-
STALKED MEADOW-GRASS

The most common grass in the District; the chief component of lawns, old
fields, pastures and roadsides or wherever the soil is not too wet or too shaded;
a very valuable grass.

Early introduced and now found in most parts of the country; freguently

23

found in 'native-looking' habitats such as rocky outcrops in the woods, on sand
dunes and shores. Map 21.

2. Poo compressa L. FLAT-STEMMED POA; CANADA BLUE-GRASS

A common species, present almost everywhere on well-drained soil, but
particularly abundant and frequently the only grass on shallow soil over ledging
limestone where the soil becomes alternately flooded in spring and highly desic-
cated in midsummer; also abundant on sand dunes and banks; an important and
nutritious pasture grass.

Thirty collections have been made in the western half of the District and
only one in the eastern, indicating that it may be scarce or absent on the flat
deep soils in the latter sector. On the other hand, collectors may have gathered
the plant more often when they found it in the rough, out-of-way places more
prevalent in the western part and where its presence may have appeared unusual.
Map 22.

3. Poo nemoralis L. WOOD POA; WOOD MEADOW-GRASS

Established for many years at a few sites in or near the City (Arboretum;
Driveway at Bank Street; Rockcliffe; at White Bridge where extensive; King
Estate; Blakeney) where it has resulted from early seedings of English lawn
mixtures. At each site, the soil is sloping, well drained and sufficiently shaded
to prevent growth of most other grasses. While tolerant of shade, it does not make
a good turf because "of its tufted, loosely rooted habit. Map 23.

4. Poo (? qlauca Vahl)

This rare native species has not yet been identified satisfactorily but is
related to the Poa glauca complex. The distinctive field characters are the
strongly glaucous culms, sheaths and spikelets, tufted habit, and long exserted
panicle. It grows on high rock ledges where it is usually associated with Poa
compressa but from which it is distinguished by its lack of rhizomes, cylindrical,
strict culms, and earlier flowering. It has been collected at two sites: on the
granitic escarpment north of Breckenridge {Dore & Cody 47.123) and on a lime-
stone ledge above Ottawa River, near Cumberland (Dore 16398). Map 24.

5. Poo palustris L. SWAMP POA; FOWL MEADOW-GRASS

Common throughout the District in wet places, in low meadows and pastures,
in ditches, along shores, and in moist open woodland. Its panicle exhibits con-
siderable variation in ampleness and number of florets per spikelet, depending
on conditions for growth and the time of production. Map 25.

6. Poo alsodes Gray WOODLAND POA

A scarce woodland grass almost always confined to rich moist alluvium,
along the flat banks of fern-lined streams; flowering in the first weeks of June
and shattering its spikelets by the end of that month.

In general this species is present in Ontario mainly south and west of

24

Toronto, and in Quebec south of the St. Lawrence, but in Ottawa Valley it extends
up to the City and then up the Gatineau to a point just beyond the limits of tne
District, at Kazabazua Creek. Map 26.

7. Poo trivialis L. ROUGH POA; ROUGH-STALKED MEADOW-GRASS

A common constituent of some lawn and pasture seed mixtures, the plants
giving a soft, fine-leaved and bright green turf the first year, but does not persist
long under the conditions of the District; in the milder portions of the Atlantic
provinces and on moist soils in southern Ontario and Quebec it has become well
naturalized. Map 28.

8. Poo saltuensis Fern. & Wieg. TWC-RAYED POA

Like P. alsodes, a scarce woodland species, but preferring dry rich decidu-
ous woods, often over shallow bedrock, rather than alluvial woods. It flowers
early in June and shatters its spikelets by the end of the month.

This species is fairly widespread across the southern part of Eastern
Canada. In the Ottawa District it occurs on the edge of the Precambrian Escarp-
ment but no farther to the north. The old stations at Stewart's Bush, Tetreauville,
and Rockcliffe are now probably extinct. Map 27.

9. Poo chaixii Vill. CHAIX'S POA; BROAD-LEAVED MEADOW-GRASS

A single clump of this distinctive grass was found in 1951 under trees
bordering the lawn on the King Estate, Kingsmere. This spot is the only one where
this European species is known to have become established in Canada; it has
been known at an area near Duluth, Minnesota, for a number of years. Map 28.

70. Poo annua L. ANNUAL POA; ANNUAL BLUE-GRASS; LOW SPEAR-GRASS

A common weed of gardens, roadsides and waste places; in lawns and
pastures it fills in quickly where the perennial turf grasses have been thinned
out by trampling, drought, or flooding. Readily recognized by its dwarf spreading
habit, pale green color, and possession of panicles in flower or fruit at most
seasons of the year from. May to November, the plants dying in midsummer. Map 29.

6. Eragrostis Beauv.

Low-growing annuals with small open panicles of usually many and small
spikelets. Spikelets many-floreted. Lemmas awnless, 3-veined, smooth or scabrous
but not hairy. Foliage hairless or with a few long hairs, often with a tuft of long
hairs at the collar of the sheath; ligule a row of short hairs.

A. Plants rooting at the nodes, hairless; native, on muddy shores

7. E. hypnoides

A. Plants upright or spreading, but not rooting at the nodes; pilose hairs present
at least at top of sheath; adventive weeds.

B. Microscopic glandular depressions present on pedicels, panicle branches,
keels of lemmas, sheaths and/or blade margins.

25

C. Foliage (apart from the ligule region) hairless; well-developed spikelets

2.5 to 3.5 mm. broad, pale green to metallic gray in color

2. E. megastochya

C. Foliage sparsely pilose; spikelets 1.5 to 2.0 mm. broad, usually purplish.
3. E. poaeoides

B. Glands absent (at least from inflorescence).

D. Spikelets (in well-developed panicles) 7- to 12-floreted, over 3.5 mm.
long, more or less oppressed to the panicle branches. .. 4. E. pectinacea

D. Spikelets (in well-developed panicles) 2- to 5-floreted, less than 3.0 mm.
long, spreading 5. E. frankii

1. Eraqrostis hypnoides (Lam.) B.S.P. MOSS-LIKE LOVE-GRASS

A low-growing, delicate and rare, native species, extending northward from
its main distribution to localized stations in the District' on the floodshores of the
Ottawa River and the lower parts of some of its tributaries. Specimens are avail-
able from: Ottawa River banks, Canada (Scott in 1891); Buckingham [Scott in 1891);
Chaudiere Falls, Ottawa, marshes (Macoun in 1894); Hull, shores of the river
below railway bridges (Harrington in 1905); Rapides-des-Chats, Que., sur la
riviere Ottawa (Rolland in 1921); Brigham Creek, Hull (Malte in 1922). After a
lapse of 25 years and revisits of these localities, the following collections were
made: Leamy Lake, wet clay floodbank (Dore & C alder in 1947); Leamy Creek at
confluence with Ottawa River, clayey floodshore (Dore & Erskine in 1952). The
plant may be a relict from former estuarine conditions. Formerly confused with
and reported as E. reptans, a distinct species of the southwestern States. Map 30.

2. Eraqrostis meqastachya (Koeler) Link STINKING LOVE-GRASS

Becoming common as a weed in southwestern Ontario in dumps, gardens and
waste places. At Ottawa collections have been made at the Experimental Farm
in 1900, 1909, 1911, 1934 and 1953 (where it has been repeatedly introduced
rather than persisting) and at Hull in 1922. In 1953, Frankton discovered plants
in his vegetable garden on Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa, but otherwise it has not
developed successiuliy as a weed. Map 31.

Reputed to give off a disagreeable odor from its numerous crater-like glands
but this feature, if present at all, is scarcely discernible. (E. major Host; E.
cilianensis (All.) Link)

3. Eraqrostis poaeoides Beauv. POA-LIKE LOVE-GRASS

A weed of railroad tracks, cinder yards and refuse dumps, rapidly spreading
throughout Canada. First detected in the District in 1936 on the railroad by Dow's
Lake (Dore 334), but now abundant along most railroads, in dumps and in yards
built up from cinders or ashes in the City. Specimens from railroads outside the
City are from Wright's Grove, Waba Siding, Carleton Place, and Arnprior. (E. minor
Host) Map 32.

26

4. Eragrostis pectinacea (Michx.) Nees COMB-LIKE LOVE-GRASS

Similar to E. poaeoides in habit and habitat but not yet so prevalent. The
first specimen in the City was collected on railroad tracks in 1933 (Minshall).
Other specimens are from Hull in 1922 {Make), Buckingham in 1923 {Make) and
1930 (Groh), Thurso in 1935 {Victoria & Rolland), Buckingham Junction in 1938
(Senn), Hilson School yard, Ottawa West in 1949 (Groh), and sand beach of Ottawa
River, Beechgrove in 1953 {Groh). Map 33.

5. Eragrostis frankii C.A. Meyer FRANK'S LOVE-GRASS

The most recent Eragrostis to arrive in the District; found at Stittsville on
the roadside shoulder in 1947 (Dore & Gillett) and at Westboro on a roadside in
1949 (Groh). Map 34.

Eragrostis orcuttiana Vasey, along with E. pectinacea, was a serious weed
in the Forage Plants Introduction Nursery, Experimental Farm, in 1952.

7. Molinia Schrank

Coarse perennial with long tapering blades, growing in strongly rooted
clumps. Panicle large and elongated. Spikelets 2- to 3-floreted, smooth, purple-
tinged, awnless. Base of blade and top of sheath hairy; ligule a row of short hairs.

J. Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench MOOR-GRASS

A native of Europe, established as a single clump in dry open woods on the
south bank of Rideau River about a mile above Billings Bridge (Dore 13599 in
1951). This lone occurrence is likely the result of intentional introduction since
other sporadic aliens (Deschampsia caespitosa var. parviflora, Poa nemoralis,
Luzula luzuloides and Plantago media) occur at the same site where, for many
years there was a secluded cottage garden. Molinia is known at only three other
localities in Eastern Canada. Map 35.

8. Dactylis L.

Stout, tufted perennial with broad, pale green blades closely flattened in
the sheath and generally sharply folded at a prominent midvein. Inflorescence a
panicle with spikelets aggregated into glomerules at the ends of the few, stiff,
main branches. Spikelets much compressed, almost sessile, 3- to 8-floreted.
Glumes and lemmas ciliate on the keel. Foliage hairless; ligule long, white,
membranous.

7. Dactylis glomerate L. ORCHARD-GRASS

A valuable hay and pasture species, successfully grown on fertile soils
but subject to winter-killing. Freguent along roadsides and in waste places.
Several minor morphological and agronomic strains are undoubedly present in our
local population. Map 36.

9. Cynosurus L.

Slender perennial with spike-like panicles. Spikelets turned to one side on
the panicle-axis, of two types mixed together, those spikelets with short pedicels

72578-5

27

and composed of several sterile florets being larger and fan-like and obscuring
the smaller sessile spikelets of 2 or 3 florets. Foliage hairless; blades narrow;
inner sheaths often yellow at base; ligule membranous, short.

7. Cynosurus cri status L. CRESTED DOG;S-T AIL

A European species widely introduced but not prevalent in Canada except
in the milder parts of British Columbia. Early reported as in "lawns at Ottawa
(Fletcher, Fl. Ott.)" in Macoun's Catalogue of 1888, but represented by spec-
imens only from sporadic collections between 1941 and 1948 from new lawn
seedings; not persisting. Map 37.

70. Phragmites Trin.

Tall perennial with broad leaves and cane-like culms, growing from heavy
rhizomes. Panicle large and plume-like, becoming silky after flowering late in
summer. Spikelets several-floreted with long hairs from a rachilla which remains
attached to the floret above it. Culms hard, hollow, generally purplish; blades
broad, firm, hairless, often glaucous and generally fraying at the tip with age;
ligule a row of short matted hairs.

7. Phragmites communis Trin. COMMON REED-GRASS

Our tallest native grass reaching a height of 6 to 8 feet and forming dense
thicket-like clones. Its patches, however, are highly localized at 10 or 12 places,
mostly in the flat land south of the Ottawa River.

The probable site of the first collected stand, stated as "Mississippi River,
Carleton Place"" {McMorine in 1860) was located in 1953, less than a mile above
the town. A second large stand occurs along the River about 15 miles below
Carleton Place, opposite Antrim. The exact location of another old collection,
"Ottawa, wet bogs" {Scott in 1891) is not known, and Macoun's stand, "Rideau
River, above Minto Bridge" (1911) no longer exists. After a lapse of many years,
several well-established stands have been discovered at other localities: Bowes-
ville (Dore in 1940 and 1944), the stand now destroyed; Prospect {Dore & Gillett
in 1947); Mud Pond (Dore & Calder in 1947, Breitung in 1948, Dore in 1949);
Shirley Bay (Dore & Breitung in 1948); Winchester (Frankton in 1949); Bear Brook,
Carlsbad Springs (Dore & Moore in 1949); Blackburn (Dore & Hall in 1952); Cobb
Lake, Bourget (Dore & Cody in 1952); Luskville (Groh & Dore in 1953). All stands
are only a few square yards in size, except the one in Shirley Bay which covers
a few acres; that in wet rangeland near Winchester is said to be scattered over
some 10 acres. It is thought that the species spread across the country soon
after the retreat of the Champlain Sea, when the climate was warmer and the
seasons longer; perhaps clumps of rhizomes were variously rafted along its re-
ceding shores. At any rate, the stands are now localized and maintain themselves
vegetatively. There is no evidence of dispersal by seed although the seeds with
their silky hairs, should well equip the plant for widespread wind dispersal. It is
likely that the late-blooming panicles are killed by frost before the grains can
mature. The name 'Common Reed-grass' is more appropriate in more temporate
parts of the world where the plant is abundant wherever there is wet land. Map 38.

28

7 7. Schizachne Hackel

A medium-sized perennial with long arching culms and few-spikeleted, con-
tracted panicles. Spikelets guite large (about 15 mm. long) on long pedicels,
several-floreted but only the lower florets producing grains. Glumes shorter than
the lemmas, generally pink or purplish. Lemmas rounded on the back, distinctly
veined, long-awned from between the two terminal membranous teeth, with a ring
of short hairs from the callus. Foliage hairless; ligule membranous, completely
ensheathing the culm.

7. Schizachne purpurascens (Ton.) Swollen FALSE MELIC-GRASS

A rather common woodland species, growing especially on dry or rocky
knolls. Probably uniformly distributed in the District originally, but now absent
from agricultural areas because of clearing and grazing of the woods. Map 39.

TRIBE II. HORDEAE

Agropyron Gaertn.

Rhizomatous or tufted perennials with spikelets situated singly at the nodes
of the inflorescence and, being sessile, forming a true spike. Spikelets 3- to
several-floreted, placed with the margins of the florets against the rachis. Glumes
egual, broad and rounded on the back. Lemmas awned or awnless, rounded on the
back. Foliage generally hairless; sheaths freguently with auricles at the top;
ligule short, firm and membranous.

A. Rhizomes present; spikelets breaking up at maturity and falling away com-
pletely from the rachis; anthers over 3 mm. long.

B. Blades broad, flat, lax, generally pilose and finely veined above, green but
sometimes glaucous. A common weed 7. A. repens

B. Blades inrolling readily, firm, scabrous and heavily veined above, glau-
cous. A rare adventive from Western Canada 2. A. smithii

A. Plants tufted, lacking rhizomes: spikelets breaking up at maturity but the
glumes persisting on the rachis.

C. Spikes slender cylindrical; anthers less than 2 mm. long. A native species.
3. A. trachycaulum

C. Spikes broad and flat due to the closely spaced and widespreading spike-
lets; anthers over 2 mm. long. A rare introduction from Asia

4. A. cristati forme

7. Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. COUCH-GRASS

A very common and pernicious weed of meadows, cultivated fields, gardens
and waste places. Generally very abundant along roadsides and on gradings;
here its presence is quite desirable. The grass has strong soil-binding and sod-
forming characteristics. In lawns and pastures it is usually present also, but
since these are continually closely clipped or grazed, the plants are small and

72578-5^

29

repressed and contribute little to the herbage. The plant will thrive and develop
vigorously if the sod is opened up.

Great variability is shown in stature and aspect of growth, in pubescence,
glaucescence, awning of the lemmas, shape of the glumes, and in pubescence of
the rachilla. Varietal and formal names have been given to plants possessing
various combinations of these characters. Such characters are reproduced uni-
formly in all the stems of a clone and often become conspicuous when a plant
comes to occupy large patches. Practically all the named varieties and forms
occur within the District.

Our first specimen was collected in 1894 by Macoun in 'wasteplaces at
Governor's Bay, Ottawa7. It is suspected that the weed was introduced earlier
than this, however, probably by the first settlers. Map 40.

2. Agropyron smith,, Rydb. BLUE-STEM WHEAT-GRASS, WESTERN COUCH-GRASS

A common native prairie grass, often growing in the slightly saline ground
around sloughs in the West from where it has been unintentionally introduced to
a few places in Eastern Canada. First collected in the District by Groh at Wright-
ville in 1923 and then by Frankton at Uplands in 1948, but at both sites it is now
probably eliminated by construction works. Map 41.

3. Agropyron trachycaulum (Link) Malte WHEAT-GRASS

A rather scarce native, confined to rocky outcrops and dry shallow soils
where openings in the forest cover have always been present; collected at various
places, but especially along the Precambrian Escarpment and on limestone
pavements along Ottawa River and at the 'Burnt Lands' east of Almonte. Map 42.

Three varieties and numerous unnamed forms are present in the District.
Malte was one of the first workers to give attention to the species complex in
America and drew the distinction from the Old World A. caninum; then Fernald,
and, currently, Senn and his associates have given much study to its detailed
classification. Melderis has recently pointed out that the American plants are
similar to A. donianum, known in Europe only from the highlands of Scotland.

4. Agropyron cristatiforme Sarkar FAIRWAY CRESTED WHEAT-GRASS

A most successful grass developed for pastures and lawns in the drier
sections of the Prairie Provinces, but in the Ottawa District (where it will grow
equally as well in open habitats) as yet seldom encountered.

Apart from the experimental plots at the Farm and at the South March Ranges
it has been found only on the sandy roadside fill along Dow's Lake (Anderson in
1942) and in an impoverished pasture with alfalfa near Beatty Point {Lindsay et
al. in 1949). At Dow's Lake it likely became established from a seeding in 1941
and persisted well, expanding its stand to several hundred feet along both sides
of the pavement, until 1954 when it was eliminated by the development of Colonel
By Drive. Map 43.

According to P. Sarkar (Can. J. Bot. 34- 328-345 1956) this diploid plant

30

rates the status of a species distinct from the other members of the Crested Wheat-
grass complex introduced from central Asia, A. cristatum, 4. pectiniforme and
A. desertorum, which are tetraploid.

Aqropyron trachycaulum var. glaucum X Hystrix patula f. biqeloviana

A single sterile plant, intermediate between these species and consequently
considered to be of intergeneric hybrid origin, was collected on the Escarpment
north or Breckenridge in 1948 and described by Dore in the Canadian Field-
Naturalist 64:39-40, 1950. Numerous plants of both supposed parents occurred at
the site but further attempts to locate more of the hybrid at the site have been
unsuccessful. A specimen from Mahon Lake near Wakefield collected by Malte
in 1922 [CAN 118328) and claimed by him to have 100% abortive pollen may be
another example of the same or similar hybrid. In this specimen the glumes are
long (5 to 15 mm.) and well developed but the spikelets are in pairs on the thin
rachis, their lemmas faintly veined similar to those of Hystrix. The spike is
closed and Agropyron-like in appearance.

73. Triticum L.

Annual or winter-annual cereal grasses with robust spikes. Spikelets one
at each node of the rachis, 2-to-5-floreted. Glumes broad with 3 irregularly placed
veins, beaked or short-awned. Lemmas broad, firm and smooth, beaked or long-
awned. Foliage hairless; auricles present at base of blade; ligule short, membra-
nous.

7. Triticum aestivum L. WHEAT

Wheat is cultivated in the District but often as a spring-sown crop. Stray
plants spring up around barnyards, granaries and in dumps but the plant does not
perpetuate itself from year to year by reseeding. The only specimen that has been
collected outside of cultivation is from Bayswater Avenue dump, Ottawa, 1932
(Dore 92). (T. vulgare Host)

14. Secale L.

Annual cereal grass with spikelets forming a dense arching spike and ar-
ranged singly at the nodes. Glumes narrow and bristle-like. Lemmas broad, long-
awned and ciliate on the keel. Foliage hairless; auricles sometimes present at
base of blade; ligule short, membranous.

7. Secaie cerea/e L. RYE

Frequently cultivated, but not as extensively as barley, oats or wheat.
Generally planted in the fall, the tall early-growing plants being harvested or
plowed under the next summer. Stray plants sometimes volunteer in fields the
year after harvest or appear in dumps and waste places from scattered grains.

75. Elymus L.

Tall perennials lacking rhizomes. Spikelets in pairs at each node of the
erect or nodding spike, their glumes turned toward the front. Lemmas and glumes

31

long-pointed or awned. Sheaths with overlapping margins, sometimes with auricles
at the top; ligule very short and coarse. Natives.

A. Glumes slender and awl-like, less than 0.5 mm. broad; lemmas with straight

awns; glumes, lemmas, upperside of blades, and sheaths pubescent

7. E. villosus

A. Glumes broadened (0.5 to 2.0 mm. broad) and flattened above the base.

B. Awns straight when dried; disarticulation of spikelet below the glumes;
spike erect 2. E. virginicus

B. Awns curved when dry; disarticulation above the glumes, the glumes per-
sistent on the spike-axis; spike nodding.

C. Blades firm, hairless or scabrous, generally involute, generally less
than 12 mm. broad and fewer than 10 per culm; spike arched-drooping.
3. E. canadensis

C. Blades thin, villous above, flat, over 13 mm. broad and generally more
than 10 per culm; spike lax-drooping 4. E. wiegandii

7. Elymus villosus Muhl.

Known only from the collection of W.B. Whyte in 1891 at "Chats Island"
and identified as E. glaucus Buckley. The location presumably is the large island
in the Ottawa River near Fitzroy Harbour, now known as Morris Island. The near-
est Canadian occurrences are now in southwestern Ontario. This far-removed
plant may have represented a remnant of a population that migrated in during the
Xerothermic Period and became extinct in recent years. On the other hand, the
label is not wTitten by Whyte and the locality may be in error, yet the record is
admitted (under E. striatus Willd.) to the Ottawa flora in Malte's manuscript.

2. Elymus virginicus L. VIRGINIA WILD-RYE

An abundant marsh, shore-line and flood-plain species, showing much
variation in the District.

(a) The tall leafy form with inflated, yellow-green and smooth upper sheaths,
and hairless foliage and spikelets is the most abundant variant and forms vigorous
and dense stands along the rivers. Var. virginicus (var. typicus, Fernald in
Rhodora 35: 198, 1933).

(b) The form with hirsute glumes and lemmas but hairless on the foliage is
represented by specimens from the Gatineau at North Wakefield (Macoun in 1911),
from the Rideau above Billings Bridge (Minshall in 1939), from Clarence Creek
near Rockland (Dore & Cody in 1952), and from Bear Brook near Leonard (Dore
in 1953). Var. virginicus f. hirsutiglumis (Scribn.) Fern.

(c) Plants with puberulent or retrorse-hirsute sheaths and pilose upper
blade-surfaces appear to represent a variation characteristic of eastern Ontario
and is quite widespread along the flood-shores of the Ottawa, lower Rideau, and
Mississippi Rivers but not the Gatineau.

32

(d) Plants with strongly hirsute spikelets, blades and sheaths are localized
along the Gatineau River at Farmer Rapids (Dore in 1953) and possibly at Leamy
Lake (Malte in 1922). These key out to var. halophi I us (Bickn.) Wieg. f. lasiolepis
Fern, but their present-day habitat is certainly not saline.

(e) Plants distinctly suffused with red are found along open flood-shores
associated with all-green ones and combine the characters of variations b, c, and
d above.

(f) A specimen with short-awned lemmas has been collected in 'low ground
along streams, Nation River at Casselman' (Macoun 29754 in 1884) and reported
in Macoun' s Catalogue and Fletcher's Flora Ottawaensis as var. submuticus
Hook. This station is just beyond the District but it is of interest since this
variety is chiefly one of the eastern Prairies in Canada. Map 44.

E. virqinicus X E. wieqandii A hybrid plant claimed to have 100 per cent abor-
tive pollen was found by Malte on the "rocky shore of Rideau River at Billings
Bridge" in 1922 (CAN 118329) and supposed by him to be a cross between E.
canadensis and E. virqinicus. In 1953 a similar appearing hybrid with no develop-
ing grains was collected, possibly at the same place, "in bushes along rocky
bank of Rideau River below White (railroad) Bridge" (Dore 15026). E. canadensis
is not known closer than three miles away but specimens of E. wieqandii, appar-
ently, of a single plant, have been collected a few hundred yards distant on the
opposite side of the river (Minshall 3319 in 1943; Dore 17320 in 1958;. E.
wieqandii is therefore considered to be one parent and E. virqinicus, abundant at
the site, the other. The hybrid has the pubescent lemmas of the former and the
erect spikes of the latter, but in respect to stature, and shape and curving of the
glumes it is intermediate.

3. Elymus canadensis L. CANADA WILD-RYE

Rather scarce; localized along the shore of Ottawa River at Morris Island
[Colder & Gillett in 1947), Constance Bay (3 collections), Aylmer [Macoun in
1911). Since it occurs up the Ottawa as far as Petawawa and around Lake Nipis-
sing, it may have migrated from the shores of the upper Great Lakes along the
late post-glacial Nipissing Great Lakes outlet. It has not migrated to what appear
to be suitable habitats elsewhere in the District. Map 45.

4. Elymus wieqandii Fern. WIEGAND'S WILD-RYE

Rare; specimens have been collected at Fairy Lake (Dore 101 in 1932),
along the Rideau above Billings Bridge at the base of railroad embankment
[Minshall 3319 in 1943), and along Bear Brook in rich woodland (Dore 14717 in
1953); others are known north of the District along Picanoc and Kazabazua
rivers, otherwise the main distribution is to the south. Map 46.

76. Hystrix Moench

Tall, tufted perennial with slender culms and loosely spikeleted, erect
spikes. Spikelets 2 at a node, at maturity horizontally spreading and breaking

33

away readily. Glumes obsolete or present as slender awi-like structures variable
in length within the spike. Lemmas with long straight awns. Blades large and
broad; sheaths hairless or pubescent; liqule short.

7. Hystrix patula Moench BOTTLE-BRUSH-GRASS

A tall, decorative grass of rich woodland, resembling in its spike a long-
handled test-tube brush — though a sparsely bristled one; rather scarce in the
District at the northern fringe of its range. Its absence from the flat lands of the
Ottawa Valley plain may be natural or results perhaps from elimination by clearing
and grazing.

Besides the two recognized variations, differences in glaucescence and
pubescence of foliage occur in plants in the same habitat:

(a) Forma patula —It has hairless lemmas and is known mainly from the steep
woods in igneous locations on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, extending
from Gatineau Park up the Gatineau valley to Kirk's Ferry, Wakefield and Las-
celles; on the Ontario side present on a limestone pavement at Taylor's Hill,
Westboro. Map 47.

(b) Forma bigeloviana (Fern.) Gleason—It has pilose lemmas and seems to
be more widespread, overlapping on the area of f. patula in the Gatineau, but
extending elsewhere so as to be the only form, represented in 7 specimens,
collected around Rockliffe, Beechwood and along the south of the City in rich
woods. (Var. bigeloviana (Fern.) Deam) Map 48.

77. Hordeum L.

Annual or perennial tufted grasses with 3 spikelets (or rudiments of spike-
lets) at each node of the spike. Spikelets 1-floreted. Glumes and lemmas long-
awned (except in some strains of cultivated Barley). Ligule short, membranous.

A. Annual cultivated cereal; spike-axis not breaking up at maturity; body of lemma
about 10 mm. long; foliage e ssentially hairless; distinct auricles present.
7. H. vu/gore

A. Perennial weed; spike-axis breaking up at maturity; body of central lemma 6
to 8 mm. long; awns long and very slender; sheaths usually densely pubescent;
auricles weak or absent 2. H. jubatum

7. Hordeum vu/gare L. BARLEY

One of the important cereal grasses grown throughout the District; stray
plants often spring up in barnyards, in dumps or in fields from dropped grains
but because of winter conditions such plants cannot perpetuate themselves from
year to year through seed.

Many cultivated varieties within the broad species known as H. vulgare
have been developed through breeding and selection. Of these, Six-rowed Barley
with all three spikelets at a node developed and Two-rowed Barley with only the
central spike let developed, are the basic kinds. Hooded Barley, a six-rowed type,
has the awns deformed as short hooked processes of distinctive appearance.

34

2. Hordeum jubatum L. FOX-TAIL BARLEY

The first records are from urban or disturbed habitats — O'Connor St.
(Whyte in 1879); Patterson's Creek, Ottawa (Scott in 1891); waste places and
roadsides, Blackburn Station (Macoun in 1902); Hockcliffe {Groh in 1909) — this
might indicate that the species was adventive to the District. It was not until
about 1940 that the weed made its general appearance in the surrounding terrain
of the City, in the agricultural land, along roadside shoulders, and in trampled
barnyards especially where the soil was heavy. From Vernon to Winchester, for
example, it has come to line the highway in an unbroken stand; yet is essentially
absent from the adjoining land. Its natural preference for somewhat saline habitats
may be satisfied by the salts which are applied to roads in winter or which accu-
mulate in the soil of barnyards from urine. The spread of Fox-tail Barley within
the District, however, has not been as rapid or as extensive as in southwestern
Ontario where it is now a most troublesome weed.

Despite the evidence that it is locally adventive, probably from the West
but also possibly from the Atlantic coast, its occurrence around some slough-like
depressions in the 'Constance Trough' in association with other indigenous
species of prairie-flora affinity suggests that it was originally present in the
District. Map 49.

The grass has little forage value. Harmful properties are attributed to it
because of the sharp-pointed axis-sections which tend to work their way intothe
eyes and coats of domestic animals through the spring-like action of the slender,
rough and flexible awns. Many of the specimens have the awns purple-tinged
when immature, though equally whitish when the spike is ripe.

78. Lolium L.

Introduced, tufted grasses with loosely spikeleted spikes. Spikelets solitary
at each node of the spike-axis, placed with the back of one row of lemmas next
to the axis. Second glume (the one away from the axis) only present, except in
terminal spikelet where both glumes present. Glumes firm, awnless. Lemmas
awnless or slender-awned from tip. Foliage hairless; ligule short, membranous.

A. Perennial; glume shorter than body of spikelet; mature lemmas elliptic-lance-
olate, herbaceous in texture.

B. Lemmas awnless; blades folded in vegetative shoots 7. L. perenne

B. Lemmas with awns 1 to 8 mm. long; blades inrolled in vegetative shoots.
2. L. multi florum

A. Annual; glume slightly longer than body of spikelet; mature lemmas ovate-
elliptical, firm in texture L. temulentum

7. Lolium perenne L. PERENNIAL RYE-GRASS

Frequently included in lawn-grass mixtures to give rapid growth the first
year; very few plants, however, persist through the winter to grow to maturity in
subsequent years. Only two specimens have been prepared for the herbarium:

72578-6

35

seeded pasture, South March {Dore 352 in 1936); lawn, Driveway, Ottawa {Dore

8517 in 1948). Map 50.

2. Lolium multiflorum Lam. ITALIAN RYE-GRASS

Occurring in new lawn seedings similar to the preceeding. Collected twice
in lawns, Ottawa {Dore 429 in 1936; Jenkins 3710 in 1953). Some workers consider
this to be a variety of the above, as L. perenne var. italicum Parn. Map 51.

Lolium temulentum L. DARNEL — This is a serious weed of grain fields in
Europe. Seeds have undoubtedly been introduced to most parts of Canada but the
plant has nowhere become established. Both the awned variety (var. macrochaeton
A. Br.) and the awnless variety (var, leptochaeton A. Br.) have been cultivated
at the Experimental Farm, but have not been known in the wild state in the District.

TRIBE III. AVENEAE

79. Sphenopholis Scribn.

Slender, tufted perennial with soft, pale green, generally nodding and more
or less contracted panicles. Spikelets 2-floreted, laterally compressed and break-
ing away beneath the glumes at maturity. First glume straight, 1-veined and very
narrow (0.1 mm. broad); second glume broad, obovate and 3- veined. Lemmas awn-
less, smooth or minutely scabrous. Endosperm liquid in ripe grains. Blades flat,
soft; ligule thin-membranous, 1 to 3 mm. long, ciliate or lacerate-fringed. Native.

1. Sphenopholis intermedia (Rydb.) Rydb. SLENDER WEDGE-GRASS

A delicate and rather rare grass, mainly confined to sites within a few miles
of Ottawa River, and growing in moist crevices in limestone rock, on mossy
streambanks, on dripping cliffs (igneous or sedimentary), or in moist deciduous
woods. Its size is considerably reduced in the shade but in disturbed soils of
new clearings its height may reach 3 to 4 feet.

Most descriptions state that the sheaths and blades are sometimes pubes-
cent. In the District, fourteen of the seventeen specimens collected have foliage
devoid of hairs, although scabrous. The other three are pubescent and have been
collected along Dow's Swamp, near Breckenridge, and near Hazeldean, growing
near or mixed with the hairless plants. The hairs, when present, are quite long
and readily visible to the naked eye when viewed in suitable light, so the plants
which bear them may be referred to tentatively as of the 'pilose form.' Map 52.

20. Trisetum Pers.

Tufted perennial grasses with spike-like or loosely contracted panicles and
2- to 5-floreted spikelets. Glumes about equal, or the second slightly longer
than the first, and equaling the first lemma in length. Lemma keeled, awned from
the back or awnless, acute with the membranous tip sometimes divided into 2
slender teeth; callus and rachilla hairy with straight hairs. Endosperm liquid.
Ligule membranous.

A. Panicle spike-like, erect; lemmas with conspicuous bent awns arising from

36

the back below a 2-toothed apex; culms and sheaths densely short pubescent.
7. T. spicatum

A. Panicle loose, its ascending branches nodding; lemmas awnless or with a

minute straight awn near the entire tip; culms and leaves hairless

2. T. melicoides

7. Trisetum spicatum (L. ) Richter SPIKE TRISETUM

All plants of the District are var. molle (Michx.) Beal with hairless glumes.
Known only from dry rocks along Gatineau River at Farmer Rapids, Chelsea,
Kirk's Ferry and Wakefield, and at Rockcliffe. All the collections, except that
made at Farmer Rapids in 1953, date before 1Q11, and it is suspected that some
of the original sites no longer exist. Wide-ranging across Canada. Map 53.

2. Trisetum melicoides (Michx.) Scribn. MELICA-LIKE TRISETUM

A specimen, collected "on rocks on the island in Gatineau River, Chelsea,
July 6, 1Q03" by Macoun (CAN 61297) is the only one extant. Its habitat has
since been eliminated by the Chelsea Dam. The specimen is free from hairs on
its foliage and hence would be the form typical of the species. Wide-ranging in
Eastern Canada, but always scarce. Map 54.

Yellow Oat-grass (Trisetum flavescens (L.) Beauv.), a common meadow
grass in Europe, has been grown at the Experimental Farm, but is not known to
be established in the District.

27. Deschampsia Beauv.

Slender-culmed, tufted perennials with narrow, mainly basal blades, and
very loose panicles of shining, often purplish spikelets. Spikelets 2-floreted, the
rachilla extending beyond the upper floret as a bearded appendage. Glumes
membranous, about equal, acute, enclosing the florets but persisting after their
shedding. Lemmas thin-membranous, toothed at apex, bearded on callus, bearing
a slender awn from the back near base. Ligule membranous; foliage hairless;
blades narrow.

A. Blades rather rigid, 1 to 3 mm. broad; sheaths smooth; awns straight, exceeding
the lemma only slightly; lemmas essentially smooth 7. D. caespitosa

B. Spikelets 3 to 4.5 mm. long; plants up to 50 cm. tall, basal blades up to
30 cm. long; native of rocky river banks var. glauca

B. Spikelets 2 to 3 mm. long; plant up to 100 cm. tall; basal blades up to 50
cm. long; locally introduced var. parvi flora

A. Blades thread-like, less than 1 mm. broad; sheaths scabrous; awns twisted,
extending well beyond the lemmas; lemmas scabrous 2. D. flexuosa

7. Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv. TUFTED HAIR-GRASS

(a) Var. glauca (Hartm.) Lindm. — Known only from the rocky south shore
of Ottawa River between Lake Deschenes and Rockcliffe, and Gatineau River at
Chelsea, Wakefield and Paugan Falls. A widespread native variety.

72578-61/2

37

(b) Var. parviflora (Thuill.) Coss. & Germ. — A single clump persists in
open woods along the south shore of Rideau River, about one mile above Billings
Bridge (Dore 13600 in 1951) where it has presumably been planted along with
Molinia caerula, Luzula luzuloides, etc. An European variety introduced at only a
few places in Canada. Map 55.

2. Deschampsia flexuose (L.) Trin. CRINKLED HAIR-GRASS

Known only from the sandy barrens at Constance Bay where it was first
collected by Groh in 1938, and from the shallow sandstone near Bells Corners
where a few clumps were found by Frankton in 1955. A common species of sandy
and granitic areas across Canada, its restricted local occurrence is surprising.
Map 56.

22. Avena L.

Annual grasses with broad blades and large loose panicles. Spikelets large,
2- to 3-floreted, usually pendulous on slender branches. Glumes broad, equal,
glabrous, several-veined, enclosing the florets. Lemmas firm, tough, enclosing
the grain, awnless or with short or with large twisted awns inserted about middle
of back. Foliage hairless except sometimes for a pilosity on lowermost sheaths
and cilia towards base of blades; ligule membranous, long and whitish.

A. Lemma hairless, green or pale-colored; awn generally absent or short and
straight, but sometimes the lower floret has a long and twisted awn, the upper
florets lacking it; florets separating from glumes and from each other by fracture
of the rachilla; rachilla sometimes hairless; foliage hairless 1 . A. sativa

A. Lemmas generally hairy on back and with a ring of stiff, usually brown hairs
from the callus; all lemmas with a strong awn, stiff and twisted in its lower
part, the upper part greatly exceeding the glumes; florets readily separating
from each other at maturity at a natural abscission layer, leaving a clean cir-
cular scar known as a 'sucker-mouth', at the base of the lemma; rachilla hairy.
2. A. fatua

1. Avena sativa L. CULTIVATED OAT

The most common grain grown in the District; not persisting outside of
cultivation except around farmyards, stables, dumps and waysides where fresh
grains have fallen. Some consider it to be derived through cultivation and select-
ion from Wild Oat or from some common parent . Genetically the two are quite
similar and are thought to hybridize giving intermediate forms. (.4. fatua subsp.
sativa)

2. Avena fatua L. WILD OAT

One of the most serious weeds in the grain-growing regions of Western
Canada but not recently encountered in the Ottawa District except at the site of
a former city dump on Bronson Avenue where plants were noticed in 1951 and
1952 apparently maintaining themselves (D.R. Lindsay). Three specimens have
been preserved: Wakefield, in oat fields (Macoun in ]903); Ottawa, railway track.

38

Experimental Farm {Harrington in 1905); Leamy's Lake (*!alte in 1923). Its grains'
apparently germinate in the fall here (rather than in the spring as in the West) and
the seedlings cannot survive the winter; consequently Wild Oat has not become a
weed in the District, though its grains have undoubtedly been often introduced as
an impurity in feed stuffs and seed grain. Our system of rotation of crops would
also seem to prevent the wide-scale establishment of Wild Oat in fields. (A. fatua
subsp. fatua) Map 57.

Tall Oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatuis (L.) Mert. & Koch) is a high-yielding
forage grass according to trials at the Experimental Farm but not sufficiently
hardy for use in the District; it is more susceptible to winter-killing than Dactylis
glomerata. No escaped plants have been encountered.

23. Danthonia DC.

Densely tufted and shallow rooted perennial grasses with compact or
spreading panicles of few spikelets on stiff branches. Spikelets enclosed by the
glumes which persist after shedding of florets. Lemmas firm, rounded on the back,
inconspicuously veined, sharply 2-toothed at apex and bearing a flattened coiled
awn from the back between the teeth, sparsely pilose on the back and with short
straight hairs on callus. Foliage hairless or sparsely pilose; sheaths split to base
where often swollen by enclosed cleistogamous spikelets, with long hairs on the
collar; ligule a row of hairs.

A. Basal blades usually less than 15 cm. long, curling when dead; ligule hairs
less than 1 mm. long at center, but 2 to 3 mm. long at sides; sheaths generally
pilose; teeth of lemma usually less than 2 mm. long; panicle with branches
ascending (before and after anthesis), spike-like 7. D. spicata

A. Basal blades over 15 cm. long, not curling on drying; ligule hairs 3 to 6 mm.
long; sheath glabrous (except for hairs at collar); teeth of lemma over 2 mm.
long, slender; lower panicle branches spreading and often reflexed during and
after anthesis 2. D. compressa

7. Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv. POVERTY DANTHONIA, POVERTY OAT-GRASS

A widespread native of rocky uplands but often dominating old clearings and
worn-out hay fields on sandy or dry land; apparently absent or scarce in the level
agricultural lands in the southern part of the District. The densest stand is un-
doubtedly that in the old meadow in front of the Mackenzie King house at Kings-
mere. This large field has probably been closely mowed once or twice a year for
many years; it has thereby developed an almost pure sward of Poverty Oat-grass
which is in complete balance with the soil conditions. Map 58.

2. Danthonia compressa Austin FLAT-STEMMED DANTHONIA

A rare woodland species highly localized in the District and known only
from the open woods near the Gatineau River between Farmer Rapids and Chelsea.
The exact site of some of the early collections "by the big eddy above Chelsea"
is probably now destroyed by damming of the River.The nearest known records are
about 50 miles to the east at the mouth of Rouge River, then south of the St.

39

Lawrence River in Quebec; not known in Ontario. Map 59.

TRIBE IV. AGROSTIDEAE

24. Colamagrostis Adans.

Tall, slender, perennial grasses with deep rhizomes. Panicle ample with
numerous branches. Spikelets 1-floreted, not flattened, small. Glumes equal, firm,
acuminate. Lemma with a fine straight awn arising about the middle of the back
and with numerous fine hairs of one half to its full length arising from the callus;
rachilla extending behind the palet and bearing similar fine hairs. Foliage hair-
less; blades narrow; ligule long, membranous, scabrous on back.

A. Callus hairs equaling the lemma; awn almost as fine as the callus hairs;
blades over 3 mm. broad; tall plants with panicle open at least at anthesis
7. C. canadensis

A. Callus hairs about half as long as the lemma; awn coarser than the callus
hairs; blades 1 to 2 mm. broad, usually inrolled; plants up to 50 cm. tall, with
contracted panicle „ 2. C. neglecta

1. Colamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Nutt. CANADA BLUE-JOINT

A common species in most parts of Canada and abundant in the District,
often forming extensive almost pure stands in swamps and in open moist places
such as ditches and flood banks of streams but frequently producing only a few
inflorescences. The collections have been made in two sectors, in the lowland
below Aylmer and quite close to Ottawa River, and across the upland at a distance
of about 15 miles north of the City. Such a pattern is undoubtedly fortuitous.
Map 60.

2. Calamaqrostis neglecta (Ehrh.) Gaertn., Mey. & Scherb.

A species characteristic of subarctic Canada, but represented by a single
specimen labeled "lake shore, Aylmer, P.Q., 12 August 1905, J. Fletcher" and
originally named "C. stricta Trin." Malte revised the specimen to C. neglecta
but neglected to mention it in his manuscript. The species has never been collect-
ed again in the District and, being so far out of its general range, its occurrence
is doubtful. Map 61.

25. Agrostis L.

Tufted or creeping, perennial grasses with rather delicate panicles of small,
1-floreted spikelets. Glumes essentially equal, 1-veined, sharply acute and longer
than the lemma. Lemma delicate, hairless, awnless or rarely awned from the back.
Palet obsolete or a thin transparent scale half the length of the lemma. Foliage
hairless; ligule membranous.

A. Palet present, about half as long as the lemma.

B. Ligule generally 2 to 4 mm. long on lower leaves (longer on the culm
leaves), acute or rounded and often frayed at its thin tip; branchlets of
panicle ascending at sharp angles from the branches.

40

C. Rhizomes present; panicle open after anthesis; blades usually over 3
mm. broad 1. A. giganteo

C. Rhizomes absent, long leafy stolons present; panicle contracted after
anthesis; blades usually less than 3 mm. broad 2. A. palustris

B. Ligule up to 0.5 mm. long on the lower leaves, truncate and firm; branchlets
of panicle divaricately spreading during and after anthesis 3. A. tenuis

A. Palet absent or very small.

D. Lemma awnless; anthers less than 1 mm. long; native, sometimes weedy,
species growing in tufts.

E. Panicle very diffuse, its coarsely scabrous branches rebranching above
the middle and at maturity reflexed from a pulvinus at the base; blades

mainly basal, often inrolled, usually less than 2 mm. broad

4. A. scahra

E. Panicle not widely diffuse, its branches, although fine and spreading
finely scabrous and rebranching below or at the middle, not reflexed
at maturity; blades scattered along the stem, flat, lax, usually 2 to 4 mm.
broad 5. A. perennans

D. Lemma v/ith a bent awn arising from the back; anthers about 1 mm. long; a
fine-turf grass, introduced 6. A. conina

1. Agrostis gigantea Roth RED-TOP

Common throughout the District and abundant in hay fields where it has
been sown or has invaded; persisting naturally along roadsides, in pastures and
in old neglected fields especially if the soil is sandy and poorly drained; nat-
uralized from Europe. Billings in 1866 and Fletcher in 1880 listed "A. alba"ioi
the Ottawa area, but their specimens cannot be found for checking, the earliest
specimen extant being that of Macoun from Rockcliffe in 1894. Map 62.

The valid name for this grass has long been a matter of contention. A. alba
L. is currently in general use in America as it has been for several decades. It
is still used in Hitchcock's Manual where a good description and illustration is
to be found. The description under ,4. alba in Gray's Manual applies to some
other plant. Dr. Malte used A. stolonifera L. var. major (Gaud.) Farw. for Red-
top in his Commercial Bent-grasses (Agrostis) in Canada (Nat. Mus. Can. Bui.
50: 123, 1928) and this name is retained in Gleason's edition of Britton & Brown.
A. gigantea is the name now generally used in Europe and, as pointed out by
Philipson (Linn. Soc. Bot. 6: 93, 1937), is probably the correct one. According
to Philipson' s treatment, our plants are var. disnar (Michx.) Philipson.

2. Agrostis palustris Huds. CREEPING BENT-GRASS

Common throughout the District in roadside ditches, in wet depressions in
fields and pastures or on the moist shores of streams and rivers, often growing
out into the water of springs. Map 63.

41

Considerable variation is shown by the plants here classified under A.
palustris. Most plants of ditches and wet fields have stolons 1 to 2 feet long
bearing soft blades 5 to 12 cm. long and about 3 mm. broad. They form dense,
leafy, matted patches often with only a few stems turning up to terminate in
panicles. These plants may be adventive. Other plants form less extensive patches
and produce numerous flowering culms, and may be native. Around the City and
in residential areas, some plants with shorter and more densely tufted stolons
bearing stiffer and shorter blades are to be found, possibly originating from lawn
or fine-turf plantings to Metropolitan or Washington Bent, two popular commercial
selections. The panicles of these latter strains are generally smaller, more slender
and more compactly flowered; seldom are they produced in abundance and con-
seguently for turf these selections are generally propagated vegetatively. They
will persist on well-drained or uniformly drained soil but can be maintained only
with special care.

Various names have been applied to this species-complex: A. maritima Lam.;
A. alba L. var. palustris (Huds.) Pers.; A. stolonifers (L.) Koch; A.stolonifera
L. var. compacta Hartm.

3. Aqrostis tenuis Sibth. BROWN-TOP, COLONIAL BENT-GRASS

Often seeded for lawns and fine-turf but apparently not well adapted to the
ordinary lawn conditions of the District since it occurs only sparingly, usually
only in moist, partly shaded lawns. Only five specimens have been collected:
at Buckingham in 1923, in Ottawa South, in the Arboretum, near the Rideau at
Uplands, and on the King Estate, the last four after 1948. Introduced from Europe,
it has not escaped to roadsides, pastures and waste places as it has in the
Maritime Provinces, where ubiguitous, and where commercial seed was at one
time produced as "Prince Edward Island Bent". (A. vulgaris With.; A. alba L.
var. vulgaris Thurb.) Map 64.

4„ Aqrostis scahro Willd. TICKLE-GRASS

Common on shallow soil on rock or on gravelly land, becoming very abund-
ant after fires or after clearing, also found on sandy roadsides or in thin pastures
on poor soil. A native tumbleweed; probably found throughout the District; flower-
ing in July. Formerly confused with A. hyemalis (Walt.) B.S.P.,a southern species
not known to occur in Canada. Map 65.

5. Aqrostis perennans (Walt.) Tuckerm. AUTUMN BENT-GRASS

Abundant along the flood shores of Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers, extending
far beyond the limits of the District along the Ottawa and at least to Gracefield
up the Gatineau. A recent collection from near Almonte indicates that it may be
along the Mississippi also. It is apparently absent from the shores of other rivers
and streams. Specimens have also been collected inland from the rivers at a small
lake 6 miles east of Wakefield and at McGregor Lake, and in wet woods on the
plain south of the Ottawa at four points: Carlsbad Springs, Navan, Manotick and
Merivale. Map 66.

42

In shaded and crowded habitats, the plants are very slender with fewer,
green (rather than purple) spikelets on weak and flexuous panicle branches. A
native species, flowering later than the others, beginning bloom in August and
continuing into September.

Three collections made at Aylmer or nearby Wychwood by Dr. Malte appear
intermediate between A. perennans and A. scabra, and may be hybrids. The panicle
branches are too short for A. scabra; the stage of development shown by the
specimens indicates a flowering period earlier than A. perennans. Malte labeled
the specimens tentatively "A. hyemalis X A. stolonifera" .

6. Agrostis canina L. VELVET BENT-GRASS

Our only specimen of this species is a fragmentary one collected by Malte
at "Ottawa Golf Club" in 1923. Presumably the site is the Royal Ottawa Golf
on the Aylmer Road rather than the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club at Uplands. This
is a fine-leaved and delicate species used for golf greens and is probably more
prevalent than the preserved material would indicate. It, however, does not survive
in the wild at Ottawa. Introduced from Europe. Map 67.

26. Cinna L.

Tall, slender, tufted perennials with broad soft leaves and large nodding
panicles of small spikelets. Spikelets 1-floreted, flat, breaking away complete
below the glumes. Glumes scabrous, slender, almost egual in length and width.
Lemma almost equaling the glumes, scabrous, on a very short basal stalk and with
the rachilla prolonged above as a minute bristle, midvein extending into a short
(up to 1 mm.) straight awn just below tip of lemma. Palet appearing 1-veined.
Stamen one. Foliage hairless; ligule long and membranous.

A. Spikelets (exclusive of awns) 4.5 to 6.0 mm. long; panicle densely flowered,
its branches rather stiff 7. C. arundinacea

A. Spikelets 2.5 to 4.5 mm. long; panicle loosely flowered, the slender branches
flexuous and drooping 2. C. latifolia

7. Cinna arundinacea L. STOUT WOOD-GRASS

A rare species of rich woods, reaching its northern limit in the District;
represented by five collections made before 1903, then one in 1933 at Billings
Bush by Minshall; now probably extinct, or being eliminated through clearing and
grazing. Map 68.

2. C. latifolia (Trev.) Griseb. DROOPING WOOD-GRASS

A widespread species in Canada and quite common in the District; char-
acteristic of moist woods and recent clearings especially in the hilly terrain
north of the River. No specimens have been made in the south western quadrant
and it may actually be absent there. Map 69.

27. Alopecurus L.

Derennial, non-rhizomatous grasses with dense, cylindrical, spike-like

72578-7

43

panicles, much resembling those of Phleum but softer to the touch. Spikelets
laterally flattened, 1-floreted. Glumes equal in size and shape, joined together
at the base, long pubescent especially on the keels. Lemma shorter than the
glumes, thin, awned from the back. Palet absent. Foliage hairless, often glaucous;
ligule membranous.

A. Spikelets 2 to 3 mm. long; panicle 3 to 6 mm. thick; awns not conspicuously
exserted; anthers about 1 mm. long 7. A. aequalis

A. Spikelets about 5 mm. long; panicle 7 to 10 mm. thick; awns conspicuously
exserted; anthers 2.5 to 4.0 mm. long 2. A. pratensis

7. A. aequalis SoboL SHORT-AWN FOX-TAIL

A widespread native of pools, shorelines and temporary ponds across Canada;
rather scarce in the Ottawa District, mainly along the shore or near Ottawa River
above the City. Map 70.

2. A. pratensis L. MEADOW FOX-TAIL

A valuable forage species; rather common in Nova Scotia but very scarce
in Quebec and Ontario where it apparently cannot withstand the dry summer con-
ditions. The well-known stand in the low meadow in the Arboretum has persisted
for many years and has expanded from an original seeding— possibly about 1910.
However, the first specimen from this area is dated 1937. Subsequently a few
other establishments have been recorded: Bear Brook, roadside (Groh in 1937);
Heron Road, roadside (Groh in 1946); near Pine Crest Cemetery, a few clumps
on roadside (Dore & Breitung in 1948); Billings Bridge, a single plant in ravine
{Dore in 1951); Almonte, in low meadow (Dore in 1953); also seen in meadows
near Gatineau Point and Rockland. The plant flowers in the last week of May,
about two weeks ahead of Timothy, and by some is mistaken as 'early-flowering
Timothy7. Its early flowering makes its presence conspicuous, consequently if
Meadow Fox-tail was more abundant in the District, many more localities would
now have been recorded. Map 71.

28. Phleum L.

Perennial, growing in tufts from hard corm-like bases. Panicle cylindrical,
dense and spike-like, rather firm and harsh to the touch, its numerous spikelets
on very short branches. Spikelets 1-floreted, flat. Glumes equal, united only at
the base, awn-pointed, coarsely ciliate on the keels. Lemma thin, awnless, much
shorter than the glumes. Palet present, but delicate and transparent. Foliage
completely hairless except for a few cilia on the collar of blade; ligule white,
membranous, generally notched at each side.

7. Phleum pratenseL. TIMOTHY

A common and valuable forage grass; the most extensively planted hay
species, generally sown in mixture with clovers in the regular farm rotation and
doing best on moist but well-drained soil; persisting and often dominating road-
sides, old fields and poorly grazed pastures throughout the District. A good pasture

44

species, productive and palatable, but usually dying out under conditions of con-
tinuous close grazing; not desirable as a lawn species because of its coarseness,
tufted growth and pale color. Map 72.

Although found almost everywhere, only 36 specimens have been preserved.
These have been collected from widely spaced localities and often from unusual
habitats such as woodland paths and rocky shores where its depauperate con-
dition has suggested P. alpinum, an arctic-alpine species not present in the
District. The ripe grains of Timothy are able to resist animal digestion and are
therefore transported to any place where cattle may wander. In open habitats the
plants come into their peak of bloom soon after the middle of June. For example,
on June 23, 1955, at 10 A.M. Standard Time, a cloud of pollen was seen to rise
on a sudden gust of wind from a Timothy meadow in full anthesis near Wakefield.
A second flowering often takes place in September from the aftermath of hay.

29. Muhlenbergia Schreber

Perennial grasses, usually with short, scaly, shallow rhizomes and slender
harcl culms. Inflorescence a dense, congested and spike-like panicle, rarely (in
M. uniflora) delicate and diffuse. Spikelets 1-floreted, not flattened. Glumes
(exclusive of awn-tip when present) usually shorter than the floret, membranous
with only the green midvein prominent, keeled. Lemma membranous, generally
flecked with a gray or greenish color, sometimes uniformly gray, acute, awnless
or long awn-tipped, usually pilose. Foliage hairless, scabrous; ligule membranous,
ciliate. Large bulb-like insect galls ("turions") often present on lower parts.

A. Short scaly rhizomes present (spreading shallowly in the humus and pulling up
with the stem); blades usually over 3 mm. wide; panicle dense, often inter-
rupted, spike-like; plants generally over 30 cm. tall.

B. Plant branching and possessing several to numerous inflorescences; panicles
rather soft and arching with evident branches; glumes shorter than or egual-
ling the lemma-body; anthers less than 0.5 mm. long.

C. Culm internodes hairless, smooth, often glossy; stems often zig-zag,
freely branching and becoming bushy and sprawling, often rooting at the
lower nodes; panicle generally partly included in its flattened, loose,
subtending sheath; grain rather easily loosened from its lemma. ...........

7. -M. frondosa

D. Lemma awnless 1(a). forma frondosa

D. Lemma long-awned 1(b). forma commutata

C. Culm internodes minutely but densely hispidulous, rough, generally
dull; stems erect with numerous ascending branches bearing well-exserted
panicles; sheaths cylindrical and close 2. M. mexicana

E. Lemma awnless 2(a). forma mexicana

E. Lemma long-awned 2(b). forma setiglumis

B. Plant usually with a solitary culm and terminal panicle; panicle firm and

72578-7y2

45

somewhat bristly, erect and spike-like with short, stiff branches, sometimes
interrupted at base; glumes long awn-pointed, longer than the lemma; lemma
awnless; anthers 1.0 to 1.5 mm. long 3. M. glomerata

A. Scaly rhizomes absent; plant mat-forming due to branching of its slender
prostrate culms; blades 1 to 2 mm. broad; panicle delicate, with its minute
spikelets on long, spreading branchlets; plants usually less than 30 cm. tall;
rare, in bogs 4. M. uniflora

J. Muhlenbergia frondosa (Poir.) Fern.

A rare and localized species extending up the Ottawa Valley to its northern
limit on the shores of the River at Parliament Hill and of the Gatineau at Farmer
Rapids. Thirteen specimens have been collected, six of the typical awnless form
and seven of the long-awned form — at least at three sites both forms growing
together. Abundant seed seems to be produced, but the pattern of distribution
suggests that spread results solely from transport of rhizomes by flood waters.
Map 73.

(a) forma frondosa — Farmer Rapids, Leamy Lake, Kettle Island, Orleans
and Cumberland.

(b) forma commutata (Scribn.) Fern. — Leamy Creek, Kettle Island, Rock-
cliffe, Buckingham, Orleans and Bourget. The precise locality and habitat of the
'Buckingham' collection [Make 594) is not stated but is presumed to be near the
mouth of the Lievre, a few miles below the town. The 'Bourget' collection is
from the bank of Bear Brodk (Dore in 1953).

2. Muhlenbergia mexicand (L.) Trin.

A species of wide distribution in the District and represented by many
more specimens than M. frondosa. An abundant and characteristic species of rock
or gravel beaches washed by the higher flood waters of the rivers; probably con-
fined to such habitats originally.

(a) forma mexicana — More common than the awned form and of wider distri-
bution in the District and beyond. It has spread away from the riverbanks in post-
settlement times and now is found in a wide range of habitats, even becoming a
weed in gardens and waste land. Map 74.

(b) forma setiglumis (S. wats.) Fern. — Still confined to rocky flood shores
and often growing near the typical form, but along Mississippi River, where
collected at four points (Appleton, Blakeney, Pakenham and Galetta), it apparent-
ly is the only form. Elongated plants of this form from shaded habitats have been
erroneously identified as M. sylvatica. Map 75.

3. Muhlenbergia glomerata (Willd.) Trin. var. cinnoides (Link) Hermann

Probably the most far-ranging species of Muhlenbergia in Canada and
characteristic of boggy areas temporarily flushed with water, but of rather scarce
occurrence within the District; present in wet habitats, especially in those where
peaty soil borders a stream or lake, or in depressions in the rock where spring-
time waters lie. Map 76.

46

4. Muhlenbergia uniflora (Muhl.) Fern.

An abundant species in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, extending across
interior Quebec to Ontario and extending southward into the District to occur at
only one point — in a bog along a northward-flowing stream in the upland north of
Eardley. A delicate and inconspicuous species, curious among grasses by its
habit of 'infra-nodal7 branching. Map 77.

30. Sporobolus R.Br.

Annual or perennial grasses with panicles of small 1-floreted spikelets.
Glumes and lemma 1-veined. Palet as long or longer than the lemma, generally
splitting down the back. Blades slender, long taper-pointed; sheaths pilose at
top; ligule a row of hairs.

A. Weakly rooted annuals, generally less than 40 cm. tall; panicles meager,
slender, enclosed within the inflated sheaths, the terminal sometimes exserted;
grain elliptical, loosely enclosed by palet.

B. Spikelets 2.0 to 3.0 mm. long; lemma and palet smooth, white or suffused
with red-purple, about equal in length 7. S. neglectus

B. Spikelets 3.5 to 6.5 mm. long; lemma and palet minutely pubescent; lemmas

generally flecked with drab green, the exposed ones purple

2. S. vaginiflorus

A. Firmly rooted, densely tufted perennial, over 40 cm. tall; panicles exserted,
spreading, ample; spikelets 4,0 to 6.0 mm. long; grain globose, splitting the
palet and spreading the glumes, becoming exposed 3. S. heterolepis

7. Sporobolus neglectus Nash OVERLOOKED DROP-SEED

A small, pale green annual often with red culms, apparently abundant in the
District but generally given little attention because it appears sterile. Viable
grains, however, are always produced inside the inflated terminal or lateral
sheaths in late summer, even in depauperate plants only half an inch high. Under
good conditions the terminal panicle may protrude slightly, but in any case, the
flowers are cieistogamous and generally lack stamens, an anther having been
found only on one specimen (from Shirley Bay).

Originally restricted to open habitats on the shingle beaches and limestone
pavements along the flood shores of Ottawa River and on shallow soil over bedrock
such as at Nepean Point where the early collections were made (Fletcher in 1879
and 1880, Scott in 1891, Macoun in 1894). It is now spreading as a weed to bare
places in pastures and roadsides. A favorite habitat is in roadside ditches cut
down to a level bottom of limestone. The plant grows in the thin layer of soil
flooded in spring and highly desiccated in summer. Under treading or rolling the
plants become prostrate and rather coarse and succulent, as on bridgeways.
Map 78.
2. Sporobolus vaginiflorus (Torr.) Wood ENCHEATHED DROP-SEED

Indistinguishable from the preceding in early stages and without the aid of a

47

good lens when mature; apparently less frequent in the District, not being col-
lected before 1935. Like the former (native but spreading rapidly to dry' fields)
it is adapted to desiccated excavations and gravel shoulders of pavements, and
often grows mixed with neglectus. Both species form distinctive light-green patches
in these special locations.

All plants north of the United States have been considered to be var.
inaequalis Fern. (Rhodora 35: 108-109, 1937) with an elongated, taper-pointed
palet. Specimens from Merivale, Bells Corners, Carp and Wilson's Corners are of
this variety. However, plants collected along the Mississippi River at Caletta
(Dore & Groh 5069), on shallow limestone soil at Kinburn (Dore & Groh 5072) and
along the Ottawa River shore at Shirley Bay {Groh 3394; Dore 14035, 14094)
have subequalpalets and lemmas indicating the typical species (var. vaginiflorus).
Some plants (Dore 14037B), separated from a collection of anther-bearing S.
neglectus from Shirley Bay, appear partially sterile and may be of hybrid nature.
Map 79.

Impoverished plants, due possibly to extreme changes from flooding to dry-
ing of the soil or to close crowding, are very slender, dwarfed and unbranched.
In these the sheaths are pale and considerably inflated by the enclosed cleis-
togamous panicles. These plants, found in both S. neglectus and S. vaginiflorus,
while distinctive, are likely ecological forms but require observation under con-
trolled conditions.

3. Sporobolus heterolepis Gray NORTHERN DROP-SFFD

A prairie species reaching its northeastern limits in the Ottawa Valley and
very rare anywhere in Ontario and Quebec. Restricted to dry limestone pavements
or sandy flood plains along the River, where probably a relict from the 'Xerother-
mic Invasion'. Known only from Little Chaudiere (Fletcher in 1877) where now
probably extinct, Morris Island (Cody et al. in 1947), and Ennis point (Dore &
Breitung in 1948), but also from Norway Bay and Pontiac slightly farther upstream.
Map 80.

Sporobolus cryptandrus (Ton.) Gray, the SAND DROPSEED - Known beyond 60
miles of Ottawa at Fort Coulonge, Allumette Island and Petawawa where it is
abundant, at Maberly Station where it has established along the railroad, and
near Oka. A sporadic individual sprang up along the greenhouse in the Arboretum
in 1936 (Dore 403) but is not otherwise known in the District. It would undoubtedly
spread rapidly at Constance Bay and on other dry sand deposits if introduced.

31 . Brachyelytrum Beauv.

Slender perennial, 2 to 4 feet tall, growing in loosely rooted patches from
short rhizomes which retain the bases of the old culms. Panicle contracted,
nodding, few-spikeleted. Spikelets 1-floreted, slender, breaking away while still
green and leaving the minute glumes on their short but slender pedicels. Lemma
long-awned, strongly veined and scabrous; rachilla extending beyond the floret
as a bristle about as long as the body of the lemma. Stamens two; anthers 3 to 4
mm. long. Foliage pilose; blades 10 to 15 mm. broad, about 10 cm. long, lanceo-

48

late; ligule membranous, 1 to 2 mm. long, its margin toothed.

7. Brachyelytrum erectum (Schreb.) Beauv. BEARDED SHORT-HUSK

The common name refers to the long-awned, but short-glumed,spikelets.
Two varieties are recognized:

(a) var. erectum — The lemmas are hispid with setae 0.2 to 0.6 mm. long.
Widespread to the south of the District, it has been found only in a sandy decid-
uous woods near Manotick Station (Dore 14367 in 1953).

(b) var. septentrionole Babel — With scabrous lemmas, this characteristic
shade plant is guite common in dry rocky woods. It probably occurs throughout
the District although not represented by collections from much of the southern
half; clearing of woodland and grazing have undoubtedly eliminated if from many
sites. Map 81.

32. Milium L.

A tall, broad-leaved woodland species, 3 to 6 feet high from a tufted base-.
Panicle widely open, with the few spikelets near the end of the branches. Spike-
lets 1-floreted, 3 mm. long. Glumes broad, rounded on the back, egual. Lemma
smooth and shining, awnless, partly embracing the palet and enclosing the grain.
Foliage hairless and usually glaucous; blades 1.0 to 1.5 cm. broad and 15 to 20
cm. long; ligule membranous, 4 to 8 mm. long.

7. Milium effusumL. WILD MILLET-GRASS

An attractive and early maturing grass of rich deciduous woodland, now
rather scarce in the District where it was probably more extensive before the
clearing, burning and grazing of the woods, but still to be found in the relatively
inaccessible slopes in Gatineau Park from Chelsea to Breckenridge. The old
stations at Britannia, Mackay's Lake and Fairy Lake are probably now extinct.
The farthest known locality directly northward is along Picanoc River, although
it reaches slightly higher latitudes at LaTugue and in Algonguin Park.

Our plants are slightly different from those of northern Europe and have
been named var. cisatlanticum by Fernald (Rhodora 52: 208, 1950). Map 82.

33. Oryzopsis Michx.

Native perennial grasses, tufted, with open or contracted, sparsely spike-
leted panicles. Spikelets 1-floreted. Glumes broad, rounded on the back,egual
and as long as the body of the lemma. Lemma rounded on the back, firm and
oppressed pubescent, its margins enfolding the palet and grain. Awn deciduous,
sometimes by flowering time. Blades coarse, deeply ridged above, inrolling
rapidly on drying or permanently involute. Ligule short, membranous.

A. Lemmas (exclusive of awn) 6 to 9 mm. long; awns 5 to 15 mm. .long; blades
over 4 mm. broad, flat when fresh.

B. Blades mainly basal, scabrous above, wintergreen: blades of culm leaves
greatly reduced; lemma white, pale straw-colored or tinged with purple

49

at maturity. Spring flowering 7. 0. asperifolia

B. Blades mainly cauline (basal blades reduced), densely short-pilose above;
mature lemma dark brown or black. Summer flowering 2. 0. racemosa

A. Lemmas 2 to 4 mm. long; awns about 2 mm. long, absent at flowering time;
Blades involute, less than 3 mm. in diameter 3.0. pungens

7. Oryzopsis asperifolia Michx. WINTER-GRASS, ROUGH-LEAVED MOUNTAIN-
RICE

A characteristic woodland species flowering in May and early June, the
naked culms then spreading from the crown of dark wintergreen blades; new leaves
do not develop until midseason. Abundant in mixed woods, flourishing after
clearing, especially on sandy soil or over the granite, but also present in the
limestone regions at Ottawa or at Almonte and Peirces Corners. The four earliest
collections, between 1879 and 1884, were made in Stewart's Woods, now the
central part of the City. It has not been collected in the southeastern guadrant of
the District and -its absence there, if valid, would be strange since it is of wide-
spread occurrence in Canada. Perhaps it had completed its migration when the
Ottawa Sea covered this sector. Map 83.

This grass is known as "Winter-grass" to old-time residents in the vicinity
of Kazabazua, Que., because the leaves remain green underneath the snow and
provide some fodder in the first days of spring for deer and for cattle. The name
is appropriate and not known to be used for any other species of plant, so is
taken up here as an alternate common name.

2. Oryzopsis racemosa (J.E. Smith) Ricker MCUNTAIN-RICE

A tall attractive species coming into bloom in mid- to late-summer. It prefers
dry soil in rich woods, freguently growing out of crevices in limestone pavement,
but also grows in the Precambrian upland north of the River; abundant in the
McGregor Lake and Gatineau Park areas it reaches its farthest northern limit at
Danford Lake and Lac du Petit Poisson Blanc, both about 10 miles beyond the
District. Map 84.

3. Oryzopsis pungens (Ton.) Hitchc. SHARP-LEAVED MOUNTAIN-RICE

A characteristic northern and western species of open pine and spruce
woods on acidic rocks or sand plains, but very restricted within the District.
Abundant on the sandy fire-barren at Constance Bay and around Aylmer and
Harwood Plains where, however, it is on land underlain by limestone. Map 85.

A closely related species, 0. canadensis (Poir.) Ton-., is found throughout
much of northern Quebec coming south only as far as the burnt-over sand plain at
Kazabazua just outside the District.

TRIBE V. CHLORIDEAE

34. Spartina Schreb.

Tall perennial with coarse, scaly and sharp-pointed rhizomes and tough,
slender-tapered leaves. Inflorescence of several 1-sided spikes, ascending or

50

oppressed to the axis and overlapping in a slender raceme. Spikelets 1-floreted,
laterally flattened and nesting closely one against the other. First glume about
as long as the lemma, the second much longer and slender awn-pointed; both
glumes harshly scabrous on the keel. Lemma blunt, often exceeded slightly by
the palet. Blades broad at the base but inrolling quickly on wilting, hairless.
Ligule a row of soft hairs, 1 to 3 mm. long, fused together at their base.

7. Spartina pectinate Link TALL CORD-GRASS

Confined to the upper flood shores of Ottawa River, where it often forms
dense stands, and to the lower parts of some of its tributaries. It extends up
Mississippi River about 3 miles to Galetta, up the Gatineau 20 miles to Wakefield
and up the Rideau only as far as the rapids below Hog's Back. The stand at
Constance Lake is on an ancient side-channel of the Ottawa.

In the District the plant produces few if any viable grains though flowering
profusely during August. This sterility is reflected in its localized and con-
centrated occurrence. Its spread is vegetative by coarse shallow rhizomes and
conseguently the clones it forms are remarkably circular in sites where radial
growth is unimpeded. Masses of the sod are evidently loosened from the shore by
flood waters and ice in the spring and are carried downstream. The stands appear
to be most prevalent in bays where the sods might lodge in the backwaters. The
stands up the tributaries probably date from the time when the Ottawa flowed over
a greater area. It is not certain by what route the plant got into the Ottawa drain-
age; perhaps from the West via Lake Nipissing, but there appears to be a gap in
its distribution between North Bay and Petawawa. Map 86.

TRIBE VI. PHALARIDEAE

35. Hierochloe R. Br.

Low perennial with long deep rhizomes producing leafless flowering stems
early in the season and vegetative shoots of long sweet-scented leaves from a
different point later on. Panicle open, slender-branched and few-spikeleted.
Spikelets golden brown, shiny, with one fertile' floret between two larger sterile
florets. Glumes broad, equal, hairless, thin. Lemma of staminate (sterile) florets
broad and thin, hairy along the margins; lemma of fertile floret firm, hairless.
Foliage hairless; ligule membranous.

7. Hierochloe odorota (L.) Beauv. SWEET-GRASS

A wide-ranging grass in the North; scarce in the District and localized in
patches along sandy or gravelly shores of Ottawa River or at points on its former
channels such as Constance Lake, Billings Bridge, and Lake Flora in Hull;
stations at points farther removed from the Ottawa are near MacGregor Lake, near
Navan and Manotick Station. The patches appear to be pure clones and under
present conditions the species does not seem to be spreading by seed. The old
stands at Blueberry Point (1903) and Lake Flora (1897) are probably now extinct.
The largest stand is undoubtedly that northwest of Navan said to extend for half
a mile along a sandy roadside {Bassett & Mulligan in 1952). Map 87.

51

An individual stem from the patch along the rapids above Billings Bridge
has unusually elongated and capillary panicle branches [Dore 14218 in 1953).

This is the grass formerly much used by the Indians for weaving of scented
baskets. Its long, tough and flexible secondary blades which roll in on drying
are particularly suitable for the purpose and continue to give off their fragrance
for years.

36. Anthoxantum L.

Tufted perennial, sweet-scented when dry, with soft, green or golden brown
spike-like panicles. Spikelet composed of one fertile floret above 2 sterile reduced
florets. Glumes unequal in length, acute and thin, the second somewhat wrapped
around the whole spikelet. Lemma of sterile florets reduced to a brownish hairy
scale bearing a long awn from its back; lemma of fertile floret shorter than that of
sterile florets, hairless, awnless, shiny and darker colored. Foliage shortly soft-
pubescent, the margin of the blade collar longer pilose; ligule membranous.

7. Anthoxanthum odor at urn L. SWEET VERNAL-GRASS

• Widespread in the Atlantic provinces and an abundant weed in some old
meadows in Nova Scotia but apparently the climatic conditions beyond southern
Quebec in Central Canada are not suitable for its persistence. In the District a
few plants have been known in the Arboretum, in a moist meadow by the Canal,
since 1944, but they have not increased as has the associated Alopecurus
pratensis. The two early specimens (Whyte in 1892; Fletcher in 1892) from cul-
tivation are thought not to represent the source from which the Arboretum plants
originated. The occurrence in Beechwood Cemetery (Macoun in 1911) probably
no longer exists. Map 88.

A European species, introduced probably frequently in the past in lawn or
meadow mixtures. The bitter taste of the plant when fresh makes it unsuitable
for grazing, and the stems when dry, although fragrant like Sweet-grass, are too
slender and brittle for weaving.

37. Phalaris L.

Perennial or annual grasses with large terminal spike-like panicles. Spikelets
flattened and containing a perfect floret between two scale-like rudimentary
florets. Glumes equal in length and surpassing the florets. Lemma of the perfect
floret awnless, smooth and firm, readily shelling out of the spikelet with the
grain enclosed. Foliage hairless; blades broad; sheaths split to base; ligule
long, white and membranous.

A. Annual; panicle ovate, dense and firm; glumes broad-winged on the keel, white
with green stripes 1. P. canariensis

A. Perennial, spreading by rhizomes; panicle elongate and flexible, its branches
spreading at flowering time; glumes keeled but not broad-winged, pale green
or purplish fading to straw-colored 2. P. arundinacea

52

7. Phaloris canariensis L. CANARY-GRASS

Formerly the main constituent of bird seed' of commerce; several specimens
have been collected around the City since 1879, usually in dumps or along streets
where they have sprung up from discarded seed. The plants reach maturity early
but their grains seem unable to survive the winter; consequently, it has not become
a weed. Its appearances have become less frequent in recent years, the last
specimen, in 1948, coming from a fresh road grade at Westboro {Groh 3893). Map 89.

2. Phalaris arundinacea L. REED CANARY-GRASS

A valuable forage grass, becoming more popular in the last decade as a
pasture and hay species because it is highly productive and suitable for wet land.
Large dense stands now grow wild on muddy flood banks and in marshes along
the Rideau at Billings Bridge, and along the Ottawa below the City where they
are spreading rapidly and excluding other vegetation. A large stand occupies a
wet trough extending southwest from Woodrof f e for about half a mile; another occurs
west of Bells Corners. Other stands occur along Jock River above Richmond and
in rocky pools near Harwood Plains. At the latter site the plants may be of native
origin, but at the other sites they have undoubtedly developed from commercial
seed, probably of some alien strain since they are more vigorous and the patches
exhibit considerable variation in form and color. Map 90.

2(a) forma variegata (Parnell) Druce RIBBON-GRASS — A favorite foliage
plant in old gardens, now found in ditches and dumps throughout the countryside;
frequently persisting at the site of old homesteads long after the buildings have
gone. The present stand in the roadside ditch at Chelsea is probably the same
one collected by Groh in 1910 and Malte in 1911.

The blades are heavily streaked with white and during spring and early
summer make a distinctive display, but later in the season the leaves from the
same clump are sometimes fully green. This variegated form flowers less frequently
than the typical form and does not seem to come true from seed. (var. Dicta L.)

TRIBE VII. ORYZEAE

38. Leersia Swartz

Native perennials with scaly rhizomes and sparsely branched panicles.
Spikelets 1-floreted, strongly flattened laterally, overlapping and oppressed to
the capillary panicle branches. Glumes absent. Lemma broad, boat-shaped, firm,
scabrous, awnless. Palet equal in length and similar in texture to the lemma.
Blades broad; the nodes and often the whole plant bristly-hairy; ligule membranous.

A. Lower panicle branches more than one at a node; spikelets about 5 mm. long.
1 . L. oryzo ides

A. Panicle branches all single; spikelets about 3.5 mm. long. 2. L. virginica

1. Leersia oryzoides (L.) Swartz RICE CUT-GRASS

A harsh-scabrous and clinging grass characteristic of ditches, marshy shores
and wet depressions in the open; common around Ottawa and probably throughout
the District. Map 91.

53

In its typical form this grass has stems 2 to 3 feet long and forms dense,
tangled and yellow-green masses in wet places. The spreading panicle becomes
well extended from the upper sheaths at the start of bloom in late July. The plants
are well anchored in the wet soil and consequently specimens in the herbarium
usually lack roots and rhizomes.

Along the floodshores of rivers and streams where the land is inundated
for a time, the plants are smaller and develop a darker green color, often with
purplish sheaths. The panicles seldom become exserted from the sheaths, and
their florets, ripened cleistogamously, remain still enclosed to the latter part of
summer. Such plants, in contrast to those mentioned above, generally grow in
shallow water or among water-washed stones on the shore. They can be pulled up
easily and preserved specimens usually show the complete underground system.
Specimens of this kind have generally been labeled "forma inclusa (Wiesb.) Dorfl."
(or "forma clandestina Eaton") but they are undoubtedly only an ecological phase
of the species developed under water-logged conditions. In wet seasons (such as
that of 1947) or when spring flooding is more prolonged, this phase predominates
but since the plants appear to be sterile, specimens are less frequently collected.

Plants with smooth stems and foliage have been described as forma glabra
Eaton (Rhodora 5: 118, 1903). Such plants are usually found completely submerged
in water and considerably dwarfed. However, when their tips extend above the
water line, they produce cleistogamous flowers and develop scabrous sheaths on
the emerged portion. A specimen of this intermediate ecological phase has been
collected in Leamy Lake {Dore & Breitung 47.1288). Until it can be shown that
such phases ("forma inclusa" and "forma glabra") have a genetic basis, they
should remain unnamed.

Although recognized as a perennial, this grass appears to be able to produce
flowers in its seedling year. At least, turf-like masses of small plants 2 to 4
inches tall, arising from seeds (remnants attached) and fruiting, were encountered
in the saturated mud along Leamy Lake on September 13, 1947 (Dore & Colder
47.1108).

2. Leers/o virqinica Willd. WHITE-GRASS

Not widespread in District, but where present, as in the alluvial woods of
Silver Maple along the Ottawa, usually abundant; restricted to flood flats along
Ottawa River or the lower reaches of its tributaries, as at Shirley Bay, Rockcliffe
and Kettle Island along the Ottawa, at Farm Point, Farmer Rapids, Ironside and
Leamy Lake along the Gatineau (recently found at Kazabazua 40 miles up the
Gatineau), at Billings Bridge on the Rideau, at Galetta on the Mississippi, and
near Bourget on Bear Brook; also found at Fairy Lake and Mackay Lake. Map 92.

Our plants have lemmas with cilia about 0.2 mm. long and might be classified
as the scarcely distinct var. ovata (Poir.) Fern.

54

TRIBE VIII. ZIZANIEAE

39. Zizania L.

Tall, annual aquatic grasses with broad blades and septate culms. Inflo-
rescence a loose panicle with the unisexual 1-floreted spikelets on different
branches. Staminate spikelets, borne on the capillary and spreading branches in
the lower part of the panicle, have thin lemma and palet which spread at anthesis
to expose the 6 large stamens, then fall off. Pistillate spikelets are erect on thick
pedicels on erect or ascending branches and have a rather firm and long-awned
lemma. Glumes absent. Foliage hairless; ligule long, membranous.

A. Pistillate lemmas papery, dull, minutely and sparsely scabrous all over;
lemmas of those spikelets not producing caryopses less than 1 mm. thick.
, 1(a). Z. aquatica (var. aquatica)

A. Pistillate lemmas firm and tough, lustrous, smooth between the sunken veins;
lemmas of sterile florets with body of same thickness as fertile, 1.5 to 2.0
mm. thick.

B. Plants 70 to 150 cm. tall; blades 0.4 to 1.2 cm. broad with ligules 3 to 5
mm. long; lower pistillate branches bearing 2 to 6 spikelets; lower or middle
staminate branches with 1 to 15 spikelets 1(b). var. angustifolia

B. Plants 90 to 300 cm. tall; blades 1 to 4 cm. broad with ligules 10 to 15 mm.
long; lower pistillate branches with 11 to 29 spikelets; lower or middle
staminate branches with 30 to 60 spikelets 1(c). var. interior

7. Zizania aquatica L. WILD-RICE

The large black grains of Wild- rice are known to provide good food for wild
fowl. Consequently, seeds from various sources have been planted by hunters in
many aquatic sites to attract ducks; it is now becoming difficult to determine
which stands in the District are original. Three varieties as distinguished by
N.C. Fassett (Rhodora 26: 153-160, 1924) are represented.

(a). Var. aquat ica — This is the tallest variety, reaching 7 to 8 feet, with
large handsome panicles and broad nodding blades. It is localized in part of the
South Nation drainage, and in Bear Brook it now lines the muddy bottom and
banks from Carlsbad Springs across Russell County to its mouth near Pendleton.
The first specimen from Bear Brook (near Bourget, Senn et al.), however, is dated
1941. The patches in Cobb Lake, a spring-fed enlargement of another tributary,
were first observed in 1952 and, in 1953, were noted to have enlarged considerably.
From the South Nation itself we have an old specimen from Casselman dated 1884
which indicates that the variety may possibly have been present in the area
originally. On the other hand, the area is isolated from the nearest known stands
some 30 miles to the southeast and the chances for natural migration across this
gap invites speculation.

Elsewhere along the northern fringe of its range in Canada, the variety occurs
similarly as isolated patches, perhaps as relicts from a former more extensive and

55

continuous range. At present, the plants localized in the southeast of the District
produce only a small number of good grains and are often killed by frost before all
panicles are mature, which may indicate that conditions are not now the best for
growth and propagation. Map 93.

Certain specimens {Gillett et al. 1549; Dore & Moore 10567, 10576, 10583)

collected from Castor River between Russell and Embrun are plants of low stature
and with relatively short awns (1.0 to 3.5 cm., in contrast with 2 to 7 cm. in
typical plants). They are definitely related to var. aquatica and probably come in
the same category as the Macoun collection (No. 85842) from Casselman cited by
Fassett as approaching var. brevis Fassett, otherwise present only in the St..
Lawrence near Quebec City. Further study of the nature and origin of these plants
is needed.

(b). Var. angustifolia Hitchc. — This is the most common variety in the
District and colonizes the Mississippi and Rideau Rivers in continuous stands
in slow-moving water up to 3 feet deep. The Jock River, from Twin Elm (at which
point it seems to have been planted) down to its entrance into the Rideau, also
supports dense stands. In the Ottawa, this variety is seen only at special points,
such as in the head of Shirley Bay where a large stand has developed. No Wild-
rice is known in the waters north of the Ottawa so it is thought that it entered the
District from the southwest, perhaps by way of the Mississippi. McMorine's
collection from 'Mississippi River, Beckwith, Aug. 1862' and Whyte's from Almonte,
1879, are the earliest for the District. The first collections from the Rideau, dated
1894, 1897 and 1898, are all from below Billings Bridge; no plants are known for
several miles above. Were the plants in the lower Rideau the descendants of
those that migrated down the Mississippi, entered the pre-Ottawa, then passed by
way of a former channel (Dows Swamp) to Billings Bridge? Or did the Indians
bring the seeds to their camp site at the foot of the Hogs Back rapids? The stands
in the upper Rideau, in the Jock and the Carp, as well as some of those in the
Mississippi, show an admixture of types which may indicate widespread recent
establishment from imported seed. Map 94.

(c).Var. interior Fassett — A large stand of this tall variety, characteristic
of the north central States, has been present for a number of years in Ottawa
River between Orleans and Cumberland; a smaller stand was located in a small
stream flowing into the Ottawa at Woodroffe in 1953. They are considered to be
introductions. Map 95.

TRIBE IX. PANICEAE

40. Digitaria Heister

Annual, generally purplish, grasses with the spreading basal branches
prostrate and sometimes rooting at the lower nodes. Inflorescence of 2' to 10
slender spike^like racemes arranged digitately at the end of the culm. Spikelets
in pairs, oppressed to one side of the winged rachis, one short-pedicelled, the
other almost sessile. Lower glume minute or wanting; upper glume one-half to
full length of spikelets. Lemma of sterile floret herbaceous, usually pubescent

56

with minute soft hairs, awnless; lemma of fertile floret, firm, smooth and hairless,
its margins membranous, enclosing the palet but not involuted. Blades flat; ligule
membranous.

A. Sheaths and blades (at least the lower) papillose-pilose; lower glume firm, 0.2
mm. or less long; upper glume narrow, about half as long as spikelet; fertile
lemma silvery or grayish-brown 7. D. sanguinalis

A. Sheaths and blades hairless, except for cilia on margins; lower glume absent
or a minute membranous scale; upper glume egualing the spikelet; fertile
lemma dark brown 2. D. ischaemum

1. Digitario sanguinalis (L.) Scop. LARGE CRAB-GRASS

A troublesome weed in gardens, germinating late but growing rapidly and
producing numerous inflorescences with long spreading finger-like branches by
late August. The firmly rooted branches make it a difficult weed to pull up
complete.

Although widespread across southern Ontario and Quebec, apparently still
confined to gardens in the City, from New Edinburgh to Woodroffe; first specimen
collected by Macoun in 1894. Introduced from the Old World where several variants
occur; ours is subsp. vulgaris (Schrad.) Henrard. Map 96.

2. Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Muhl. SMALL CRAB-GRASS

A serious weed especially in lawns, often giving a purplish and rough
appearance to the turf in August when the growth of perennial turf grasses is
retarded by drought. Apparently more resistant to wear than D. sanguinalis and
consequently better able to grow along paths, on gravel and dirt roadways, in
closely grazed pastures and in heavily trodden lawns. It has also invaded moist
beaches of Ottawa River.

More widespread than D. sanguinalis and probably present throughout the
District. First collected in 1880 in waste places on Wilbrod Street by Whyte.
Introduced from Europe. (D. humifusa) Map 97.

41. Panicum L.

Low or medium-sized grasses lacking rhizomes or stolons, with distinct
panicles. Spikelets plano-convex, oval or elliptical in outline. Spikelets 2-
floreted but the lower floret sterile and consisting only of a glume-like lemma and
a rudimentary membranous palet, the upper floret perfect and producing a grain.
Glumes herbaceous, the lower less than half the length of the spikelet, the upper
as long as the spikelet. Lemma of sterile floret herbaceous and similar to upper
glume. Lemma of fertile floret hard, white, gray or cream-colored, smooth and
shiny, enclosing the palet which is of similar texture. Awns absent. Foliage with
pilose pubescence at least on the margins of the sheath and lower margin of
blade, often papillose-pilose or conspicuously pilose on sheaths and blades.
Sheaths open to base. Ligule a row of fine hairs, sometimes fused together at base.

57

A. Perennials; basal blades shorter and firmer than the stem blades, forming a
winter-green rosette, browning but persisting in mid-summer.

B. Blades elongate, less than 5 mm. broad and more than 5 cm. long, erect and
appearing as basal, the internodes being few and short; forming dense
clumps of foliage, with the secondary panicles formed later in the season
hidden among them. (Panicle branches finely scabrous all over; ligule hairs
0.5 to 1.0 mm. long.)

C. Spikelets 3.0 to 3.5 mm. long, the apex sharp due to the second glume
and sterile lemma projecting slightly beyond the fruit. (Spikelets and
blades essentially hairless.) J. P. depauperatum

C. Spikelets 2.0 to 2.8 mm. long, the apex blunt; glume and lemma not sur-
passing fruit. (Spikelets sparsely pubescent; blades and sheaths some-
times conspicuously pilose.) 2. P. linearifolium

B. Blades not elongate, if less than 5 mm. broad then not over 5 cm. long;
culms well developed, with spreading cauline blades. (Panicle branches
smooth, scabrous or pubescent; ligule 0.3 to 5.0. mm. long; spikelets pubes-
cent.)

D. Spikelets 1.3 to 2.2 mm. long; blades 0.2 to 0.7 mm. broad; panicle
branches smooth, hairless or pubescent, not scabrous.

E. Ligule hairs less than 0.5 mm. long on upper leaves, generally curved.

F. Panicle axis and culms hairless; spikelets 2.0 to 2.2 mm. long;
plant usually bright green 3. P. horeale

F. Panicle axis and culms densely puberulent; spikelets 1.8 to 1.9
mm. long; plant usually purplish 4. P. tsugetorum

E. Ligule hairs straight, conspicuous above throat of sheath, 1 to 5
(generally 3) mm. long. (Spikelets 1.3 to 2.0 mm. long; panicle axis
hairless or pilose; plant green or purple-tinged.) ... 5. P. lanuginosum

D. Spikelets 3.0 to 3.8 mm. long; blades over 10 mm. broad; panicle branches
finely and densely scabrous or puberulent. (Ligule usually 0.3 to 0.4
mm. long; blades hairless on surface).

G. Larger blades 1.3 to 1.8 cm. broad, standing erect; panicle branches
erect 6. P. xanthophysum

G. Larger blades 2.5 cm. broad, spreading from stem; panicle branches
wide-spreading 7. P. latifolium

A. Annuals; basal blades generally smaller but weaker in texture than the stem
blades, soon withering and drying.

H. Spikelets small, 1.5 to 3.5 mm. long; in native habitats or weeds in disturbed
land.

I. Foliage essentially hairless; first glume truncate; culm zig-zag

58

8. P. dichotomiflorum

I. Foliage spreading-pilose, especially on sheaths which are usually
papillose also; first glume acute; culm straight (except in P. tuckermanii) .

J. Panicle narrower than long; all branches erect or ascending, spreading
at an angle of about 30° when mature 9. P. flexile

J. Panicle as broad as long, branches more widely spreading and divari-
cate.

K. Panicle one-half height of whole plant; culm brittle below panicle
at maturity; spikelets 2.0 to 3.0 mm. long, long-acuminate; glumes
persistent; fruit 1.3 to 1.8 mm. long with 5 veins visible in face-
view of lemma 70. P. capillare

K. Panicle less than one-half height of whole plant; culm not fracturing
easily; spikelets 1.6 to 2.1 mm. long, short-acuminate; glumes
falling with spikelet; fruit 1.2 to 1.5 mm. long with 3 veins showing
in face-view.

L. Culm straight; spikelets single at end of branches; fruits 1.4
to 1.5 mm. long, 1.0 mm. broad; plants of thin soil on rocks.
77. P. philadelphicum

L. Culm zig-zag; spikelets racemose near ends of flexuous branches;
fruits 1.2 to 1.3 mm. long, 0.7 mm. wide; plants of flood-shores.
72. P. tuckermanii

H. Spikelets large, 4.5 to 5.0 mm. long; panicle heavy and branches drooping;
cultivated or seldom escaping 73. P. miliaceum

7. Panicum depauperatum Muhl. IMPOVERISHED PANIC-GRASS

A characteristic species of deep sands, distributed across the land to the
north and west but in the District known only near the shores of Ottawa, Gatineau
and Lievre Rivers and on the sand plain at Uplands. Collections have been made
on nine different occasions at Constance Bay where it is common and at six
other widely scattered stations. Map 98.

All our plants are var. psilophyllum Fern., having essentially hairless
foliage.

2. Panicum linearifolium Scribn. NARROW-LEAVED PANIC-GRASS

A characteristic species of deep sand, like P. depauperatum, but quite
different in its distribution, the majority of the stations being away from river
banks; apparently not present at Constance Bay. It also occurs on shallow soil
over rock and often in partial shade.

The two varieties (which some authors consider as separate species) are
generally easy to distinguish by the degree of their pubescence. They have the
same habitat and same distribution in the District, are about equally abundant

59

(17 and 24 specimens, respectively), and at seven sites have been collected side
by side. Map 99.

(a).Var. linearifolium — The typical variety, has conspicuously long-pilose
sheaths and blades, and usually culms also.

(b).Var. werneri (Scribn.) Fern. — It is essentially hairless except for the
ciliate-margined sheaths; sometimes the lowermost sheaths may be sparsely short-
pilose. More slender than P. depauperatum which it resembles.

3. Panicum boreale Nash NORTHERN PANIC-GRASS

A common species in the Maritime Provinces but scarce and localized in
the District. Map 100. Two varieties are represented:

(a).Var. boreale — Hairless blades except for the papillose-based cilia on
margin of sheaths and base of the blades. Found along Gatineau River at Chelsea,
Kirk's Ferry and Wakefield.

(b).Var. michiganense Farw. — Discribed (Rhodora 42: 306, 1940), as havinq
the blades sparsely long-pilose on the surfaces and the back of the collar densely
short-pubescent. Collected in the sandy woods at Constance Bay six times, in the
woods along Ottawa River at Wychwood three times, and on "the island at
Chelsea" [Macoun in 1911). The latter habitat is no longer in existance, but
recently it has been reported from "ile Marquerite" (at Farmer Rapids) a little
lower on the Gatineau (LeGallo in Nat. Canad. 79: 273, 1952). This variety
extends down the Ottawa into southern Quebec but does not grow in theMaritimes.
Six specimens of the species preserved in herbaria outside of Ottawa have not
been re-examined for variety.

4. Panicum tsugetorum Nash HEMLOCK-GROVE PANIC-GRASS

In general appearance similar to P. lanuginosum var. fasciculatum but a
long first glume, a short ligule and short pubescence distinguish it.

Known only from the sandy woods, clearings and roadsides at Constance Bay
where it has been collected on eleven occasions. A specimen labeled "Ottawa"
(Scott in 1890) in University of Toronto herbarium, is assumed to be from the
same locality. It occurs on similar shoreline deposits of sand along the upper
Ottawa and shores of Great Lakes. Map 101.

Mature spikelets on our specimens fall between 1.8 and 1.9 mm. consequently
it seems best to keep the entity separate from P. columbianum in which it is
sometimes included.

5. Panicum lanuginosum Ell. HAIRY PANIC-GRASS

This is a polymorphous species made up of several varieties which some
authors, following the monograph by Hitchcock and Chase (Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb.
15, 1910), prefer to maintain as distinct species. The characters given for separa-
tion under each variety are variable and their limits overlap, but when numerous
specimens are examined and their stations mapped, groups showing distinctive
habitats and distribution patterns are evident.

60

Members of the species are likely to be confused only with P. boreale and
p. tsugetorum: P. boreale has a much shorter ligule (0.3 mm.), and longer spike-
lets (2.0 to 2.1 mm.); P. tsugetorum has a short ligule (0.7 mm.), a finely and
densely pubescent culm, and a longer (0.8 mm.) and sharper first glume. All
members of P. lanuginosum have a long ligule (2 to 4 mm.), a short (0.4 mm.) blunt
first glume, and hairless, pilose or papillose-pilose culms.

(a).Var. implicatum (Scribn.) Fern. — Spikelets smaller (1.3 to 1.5 mm. long),
usually pale green; axis of panicle pilose; blades uniformly long-pilose; blades
uniformly long-pilose above with hairs 2 to 4 mm. long, uniformily oppressed
pilose below with hairs about 1 mm. long. The plant in general is more dwarf,
weaker, with poorly developed winter rosette, more pubescent and the leaves
softer and often paler green than the other varieties. It is present in old clearings,
in sterile pastures usually on sandy or gravelly soil or sometimes on thin soil
over bed rock. It has a general distribution and is not related to river courses.
Map 102.

(b).Var. fasciculatum (Torr.) Fern. — Spikelets larger (1.6 to 1.7 mm. long),
deep maroon when mature; axis of panicle sparsely pilose towards base; blades
sparsely pilose with a few long hairs towards base on the upper surface, oppressed
hispid to oppressed short-pilose (hairs 0.5 mm. long) on lower surface especially
towards tip. This plant is taller, with elongated stems and well-developed rosettes
of purple blades, guite pubescent below on sheaths and culm and generally dull
green, deeply tinged with purple. It is generally found on moist sandy land or on
soil periodically wet such as that over level strata of rock. Many of the collections
have been made along Ottawa River (but back from the beach) or along its former
courses represented by the sand deposits at Merivale, Uplands and Mer Bleue.
Map 103.

(c).Var. septentrionale (Fern.) Fern. — Spikelets slightly larger (1.7 to 1.8
mm. long), generally green; axis of panicle and the upper culm hairless; blades
hairless above and usually also beneath but may be oppressed hispid-pilose
towards tip on the upper ones; plants in general are robust (unless injured by
flood waters) with well-developed basal rosette of broad green blades and are
guite hairless except for the sheaths near their base. The variety is restricted to
flood shores of the Ottawa between Shirley Bay and Kettle Island, the lower
Gatineau as far up as Wakefield, and the Rideau just above Billings Bridge.
Thirty-three specimens have been collected, eighteen between Ironside and
Chelsea. Map 104.

In the U.S. National Herbarium are specimens under P. lindheimeri (Nash)
Fern, from 'Britannia, Lac des Chenes,' and 'Rideau River, Ottawa.' These have
not been re-examined, but could probably be placed in var. septentrionale as
treated here.

6. Panicum xanthophysum Gray YELLOW PANIC-GRASS

A distinctive species with broad erect blades and long-exserted narrow
panicles bearing relatively few and large spikelets; confined to sandy soils. Six

61

collections have been made at Constance Bay and four at Wakefield, but eight
others are more scattered. The exact location of the first collection (by Fletcher)
"sandy dry field, Ottawa, 1878" is not known. Widespread across Quebec and
Ontario to Manitoba. Map 105.

7. Panicum lati folium L. BROAD-LEAVED PANIC GRASS

Rare in District; formerly known from King Mountain (Harrington in 1909;
Rolland in 1917) and thought to have become extinct, but recently collected at
ile Marquerite in Gatineau River at Farmer Rapids (LeGallo in 1947), atKingsmere
at a level just above the highest Champlain beach (Dore in 1953), at Fitzroy
Harbour just above flood limit of Ottawa River [Dore & VanRens in 1954). The
closest other records are Pointe-au-Chene (40 miles E), Westport (60 miles SW),
and opposite Deep River (95 miles NW). In our part of its range it seems to be a
plant found in dry woods of oak and pine; at King Mountain, Westport and Deep
River the grass occurs on the exposed slopes of the granite, and at Fitzroy Harbour
on limestone pavement. (Early specimens labeled P. Boscii Poir.) Map 106.

8. Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx. FALL PANIC-GRASS

Only recently discovered within the District; along the muddy flood banks
of Bear Brook at three places, 1 mile, 3 miles and 7 miles east of Carlsbad
Springs {Dore & Moore 10528, 10531; Dore 14707). The plants are variety genicu-
latum (Wood) Fern., not known elsewhere in Ontraio. In parts of the United States
it has spread widely as a weed. The occurrences along Bear Brook undoubtedly
represent the result of a single introduction, originating perhaps at the site of the
once-popular spa from a seed brought in several years ago, but sometime after 1911
otherwise Macoun would have collected it while botanizing there that year. Map 107.

9. Panicum flexile (Gatt.) Scribn. WIRY WITCH-GRASS

A rare species, localized in Ottawa Valley between Ottawa and Arnprior as
part of a wider distribution mainly along the shores of Great Lakes. Nine specimens
only have been collected, between 1879 and 1952, along the upper gravelly or
sandy beach of Ottawa River at Brittania, Shirley Bay, Ennis Point, Aylmer and
above Hull, and at inland points on limestone barrens near Kinburn and near
Almonte. Map 108.

70. Panicum capillare L. OLD WITCH-GRASS, COMMON WITCH-GRASS

An abundant and widespread weed of gardens, arable land, roadways and
disturbed waste land. The large panicle becomes rounded at maturity at which
time its culm fractures readily, releasing it to roll along with the breeze and to
scatter its smooth slippery fruits. While now prevalent everywhere on cleared
land, it still persists in what is considered to be its original native habitat along
the flood shores of rivers, developing on the moist beaches in late summer. There
plants are smaller, often considerably reduced and depauperate and not nearly so
robust or prolific as those on cultivated lands. Sixty nine specimens have been
collected, dating back to the earliest, from "cultivated fields, Wilbroad Street"
(Whyte, 1879). All our plants are probably the poorly separated var. occidentale
Rydb. Map 109.

62

77, Panicum ph Hade I ph icum Bemh. PHILADELPHIA WITCH-GRASS

A delicate light-green species with an ovate terminal panicle and several
smaller and partially included panicles on the secondary branches which spread
out from the base. Found only on the shallow soil accumulated on level limestone
which becomes too desiccated in early summer to support plants other than a few
late-developing annuals. Only seven specimens of this rare native grass have
been collected, all (except Macoun's at Hull in 1911) since 1936. Map 110.

12. Panicum tuckermanii Fern. TUCKERMAN WITCH-GRASS

A straggly species generally encountered as dwarfed prostrate plants on
soggy flood shores. Under better conditions, such as where beach alluvium has
been loosened up, plants develop to a height of 2 or 3 feet with many branching
zig-zag stems. A rather rare native, but collected 21 times since Macoun first
found it in 1894 "among gravel, Chaudiere River, Que.", here considered to be in
error for Chaudiere Falls. Known along the Ottawa at Morris Island, Shirley Bay
and Hull, along Leamy Lake and Leamy Creek, along the Gatineau at Ironside,
along Jock River at Twin Elm, and along Castor River above and below Russell.
North of Ottawa River it has been collected on the shore of Lac la Blanche, and
on "stony cleared area by roadside" (an unusual habitat) at Jarnac a few miles
beyond it and just outside the District radius. Map 111.

Often confused with or included in P. philadelphicum but in the District
guite distinct in its morphology, habitat and distribution.

73. Panicum miliaceumL. PANICUM-MILLET, PROSO-MILLET

Sometimes cultivated as a feed grain; occasionally springing up from stray
grains around farms (at Twin Elm) or in dumps in the City but not persisting.
Collected early by Macoun on Lyon Street in 1894 and again on waste heaps on
Gilmour Street in 1896, but then not again until 1932 at Bayswater and Bronson
Avenue dumps and 1936 in a vacant lot in the Glebe. In 1952 Groh found it in a
trash pile near the Broad Street freight yards. It is a distinctive grass and should
have been collected more frequently if abundant. Map 112.

42. Echinochloa Beauv.

Annual grasses with coarse spikelets arranged in dense, somewhat one-
sided clusters on short panicle branches. Glumes and sterile lemma with coarse
trichomes, the sterile lemma often awned. Fertile lemma smooth, shiny and hard,
enclosing the palet except at the tip where the palet protrudes. Blades broad,
scabrous on margins, hairless; stems somewhat succulent; ligule absent.

A. Sheaths smooth and hairless; second glume with awn-point less than 1 mm.
long; sterile lemma with short or long awn; fertile lemma ovoid.

B. Tip of fertile lemma wrinkled, dull and distinct from its shiny smooth body,
the body hence appearing blunt at the end; a few minute bristles present
on the shiny body bordering the tip 1. E. crusgalli

63

B. Tip of fertile lemma firmer and not demarked by a cross-wrinkle, the lemma
body thus appearing acuminate; minute bristles absent 2. E. pungens

A. Sheaths hispid with papillose-based hairs; second glume with awn over 3 mm.
long; sterile lemma long-awned; fertile lemma ellipsoid, lacking minute bristles
below tip 3. E. walteri

7. Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv. BARNYARD-GRASS

A common, coarse and somewhat succulent weed of barnyards, gardens, grain
fields and waste places, thriving wherever the soil is damp and rich. A European
species reaching the District in the 1880's and now almost everywhere on cleared
land and even along open trails into the woods, or among the native species along
the Ottawa River shore.

Great variation is shown in the stature, color and density of inflorescence
of the plant, but the most variable feature is the length of awns of the spikelets,
the awnless or short-awned plants being more abundant than those with awns over
3 cm. long (forma longiseta (Trin.) Farw.). Map 113.

2. Echinochloa pungens (Poir.) Rydb. SHARP-POINTED BARNYARD-GRASS

Native along the eroding shores of Ottawa River and the connecting lakes
and streams; more recently spreading as a weed to dryer open sites adjoining.
Three varieties (sometimes considered as distinct species, or sometimes as
variants of E. crusgalli) are represented in the District:

(a) Var. pungens — The typical variety with large spikelets (about 3.5 mm.
long and 2.0 mm. broad) with numerous (10 to 25 per side) trichomes and triangular
panicle of reflexed-spreading branches is represented by collections from a rocky
pasture along Castor River near Russell and the flood shore of Ottawa River near
Beechgrove and Eardley, at mouth of Leamy Creek, and above Cumberland, all
made within the last few years. Map 114.

(b) Var. m/crosfachya(Wieg.) Fern. & Griscom, Rhodora 37: 137, 1935— This
variety bearing smaller spikelets (about 3.0 by 1.5 mm.) with trichomes (15 to 25
per side) of such nature that the spikelets appear 'bristly' to the naked eye,
is known from but three points, all along the shore of Ottawa River, at Parliament
Hill, Orleans, and above Cumberland. This variety, of southern affinity, is rather
common along Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. The local specimens
have green to pale maroon spikelets rather than the usual dark purple-brown.
(E. microstachya (Wieg.) Rydb.) Map 115.

(c) Var. wiegandii Fassett, Rhodora 51: 2, 1948 — This variety also has
small spikelets (about 3.0 by 1.5 mm.) but with the trichomes sparse (5 to 10 to a
side). This is a common Prairie plant and in Eastern Canada, is present mainly
along the shores of Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and the main connecting
systems. In the District specimens are mainly from the shores of Ottawa River
and its tributaries from the south where it perhaps was originally present and from
where it has spread to dry soil in cleared fields and rocky pastures adjoining, as

64

at Kinburn, Carp, Shirley Bay and Ottawa West. Specimens from Lac Philippe are
quite far removed from the mass, but these may be connected through other sites
in the upper Gatineau valley [_E. muricata is reported from Farmer Rapids (Le
Gallo, Nat. Canad. 74: 274, 1952)]f, or represent local introductions from the West
in feedstuffs. (E. occidentalis (Wieg.) Rydb.) Map 116.

3. E. waiter! (Pursh) Heller WALTER'S BARNYARD-GRASS

Native in Ontario in marshes along Lake Erie and the land to the south, but
recorded in Fletcher's Flora Ottawaensis as ' 'along the Nation River, at Cassel-
man". Since no specimen was available, this record was long thought to be
erroneous. Plants were discovered, however, in 1952 near Bourget along Cobb
Lake which empties into South Nation River about 10 miles below Casselman
(Can. Field-Nat. 67: 138, 1953). Most of the plants were. pale green in the foliage
and panicle, but one individual was purple. The nearest station known is at Sorel,
Que. Map 117.

43. Setaria Beauv.

Annual weeds or cultivated grasses. Inflorescence a dense spike-like
panicle with the bristles (abortive spikelets) which subtend the spikelets numerous
and conspicuous. Spikelets themselves awnless, 2 to 3 mm. long. Lower glume
one-quarter to one-half and upper glume one-half to full length of spikelet. Fertile
lemma hard and brittle, white or pale-colored, involute-margined and clasping a
palet of similar texture. Ligule a row of short hairs fused together at the base.

A. Bristles, axis of panicle and culm immediately below panicle scabrous with
upwardly pointed barbs.

B. Bristles orange-brown or golden; spikelets about 3 mm. long; fertile lemma
coarsely cross-roughened; sheaths keeled, hairless; upper surface of blade
with a few long hygroscopic hairs near base 7. S. glauca

B. Bristles green or sometimes purplish; spikelets about 2 mm. long; fertile
lemma essentially smooth; sheaths not keeled, ciliate with upwardly opp-
ressed hairs; blades hairless.

C. Spikelet breaking away from pedicel at maturity leaving a cup-like scar.
Common weed 2. S. viridis

C. Spikelet breaking up above the sterile lemma, the "fruit" separating out
at maturity. Cultivated 3. S. italica

A. Bristles, axis of panicle and upper culm harshly scabrous with downwardly
pointed barbs; clusters of spikelets somewhat spaced, interrupting the panicle
especially towards base; upper surface of blade with a few straight hairs near
base; sheaths not keeled, oppressed ciliate on the margins. .. 4. S. verticillata

1. Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. YELLOW BRISTLE-GRASS

A common weed of gardens, fields and waste places throughout the District,
present since at least 1879. Known for some years under name of S. lutescens

65

(Weigel) F.T. Hubb. Map 118.

2. Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. GREEN BRISTLE-GRASS

A common weed of gardens, cultivated fields, roadsides and waste places
throughout the District; known since 1876 and in 1884 Macoun, in one of his few
annotations on abundance, stated on a local specimen "naturalized everywhere."

Plants with small panicles, shorter bristles, low-growing and spreading
habit, and narrow blades are apparently genetically distinct and belong to variety
weinmannii (R. 5c S.) Brand (see: Fernald and Weatherby, Rhodora 12: 133-134,
1910). This variation was recognized by early Ottawa botanists and one specimen
collected in 1890 by Whyte at the Experimental Farm is annotated "var. ads urgens
Fletcher", a name which was evidently never published. Macoun also noted on a
specimen from railway tracks, Ottawa, 1900, "always lying prostrate, Setaria
(like) viridis". Var. weinmannii is almost as common as the taller, fuller-panicled
and broader-leaved plant taken as typical of the species, and is often the only one
in mowed fields and roadsides and along traveled roadways and railroads, Very
small plants which have been called "var. nana" , may be found in dry pastures,
but are merely ecological forms. Map 119.

Green Bristle-grass has not likely developed locally as a weed by' 'degener-
ation" of cultivated forms of S. italica as often thought.

3. Setaria italica (L.) Beauv. FOX-TAIL MILLET

German Millet (S. italica, subsp. stramineofructa F.T. Hubb., var. hostii
F.T. Hubb., subvar. metzgeri (Kornicke) F.T. Hubb.) with its purple awns and
yellowish fruits, is sometimes cultivated but has not been known to persist in-
dependently in the Ottawa District. Numerous agricultural strains have been
developed by breeding and selection.

4. Setaria verticillata (L.) Beauv. BUR BRISTLE-GRASS

A weed arriving relatively recently, but now a serious nuisance in some
parts of the City. First detected by Mr. Groh in a crack in the pavement on Metcalfe
Street near Laurier Avenue in 1941 and then in his own garden in Westboro in
1942. Subsequently it was found along the pavement on Seneca Street (Dore in
1943), in a garden on Grosvenor Avenue (Minshall in 1947), in the Ottawa East
dump and in Eastview (Dore in 1947). In 1949 it was found to be quite serious in
Ottawa South particularly in vicinity of Grosvenor Avenue and in a small garden on
Bank Street near Cameron Avenue. In 1950 it was noticed as one of the chief
weeds in garden allotments of the Federal District Commission at Rideau Park.
The Ottawa infestations are thought not to have originated with plants experimen-
tally cultivated at the Experimental Farm by Fletcher in 1907 and which approach
var. robusta. In 1953 it was collected in a garden in Pakenham and another spec-
imen was submitted for examination from "a farm near Carleton Place". Map 120.

This annoying grass with its harsh clinging bristles is bound to become one
of the serious pests of gardens and waste places throughout the City and vicinity.
The form with forwardly barbed bristles has not yet been found in the District.

66

TRIBE X. ANDROPOGONEAE

44. Andropogon L.

Large, tufted perennials with coarse roots and hard, brittle and solid culms.
Spikelets arranged in racemes at the end of the culm or at the tips of numerous
branches. Spikelets in pairs at each node of the rachis, one fertile and sessile,
the other reduced to an awned rudiment borne on a flattened and conspicuously
hair-fringed pedicel. Glumes of the fertile floret hard, narrow and awnless. Lemmas
thin and membranous, the inner one awned with a twisted and bent awn. Plants
essentially hairless, generally glaucous and often purplish. Ligule membranous
and fringed with soft hairs.

A. Racemes solitary at the end of the culm and culm-branches. ... 7. A. scoparius

A. Racemes 2 to 5 at the end of the culm and culm-branches 2. A. gerardii

7. Andropogon scoparius Michx. PRAIRIE BEARD-GRASS, LITTLE BLUE-STEM

A grass characteristic of Prairie Grassland, occurring in Ottawa District
only along the Ottawa, the Gatineau as far up as Paugan Falls and the lower
Rideau on gravelly flood shores or on dry rocks and deep sand deposits bordering
the banks. The most extensive stand occurs on the limestone pavement along
Ottawa River at Ennis Point, about 10 miles west of the City. Map 121.

According to Fernald and Griscom's treatment (Rhodora 37: 143-145, 1935)
two varieties occur within the District:

Var. septentrional is Fern. 5c Griscom — It has racemes of 5 to 10 fertile
florets, usually very flexuous, the rudimentary florets including awn 6.5 to 10.5
mm. long The type specimen is cited as "Baie Sherley, Riv. Ottawa, Quebec
15 sept. 1925, Rolland, 19,199" . The site of collection is undoubtedly on the
Ontario side of Ottawa River at Shirley Bay, where other collections have been
made. This is the variety which is most widespread in Canada and to which all
local plants apparently belong. It occurs in two color forms, one purple and one
green, to be found growing side by side along the gravel flood-shore of the Gatineau
at Farmer Rapids. The green form is scarce or absent elsewhere. Variation in
degree of fringing and height of plant is shown in the patch above Billings Bridge
on the Rideau.

Var. neo-mexicanus (Nash) Hitchc. — This variety has racemes with 1 1 to
19 fertile spikelets which are scarcely flexuous, and rudimentary spikelets 3 to
4.5 mm. long. A specimen is cited by Fernald and Griscom from the valley of the
Gatineau, Ironside, Quebec (Rolland 15,291). This particular collection has not
been seen but none of the other seven specimens from the same vicinity fit the
description. Most authors consider this variety as restricted to the southwestern
States. Formerly, these two varieties were included in var. frequens Hubbard
which, in the strict sense, is confined mainly to the New England States.

2. Andropogon gerardii Vitman. BLUE-JOINT TURKEY-FOOT, BIG BLUE-STEM
Much taller and less abundant than the preceding species, present along the

67

shores of the Ottawa at Pontiac Station, Morris Island, Fitzroy Harbour, Constance
Bay, Tremblay Beach, Ennis Point, Shirley Bay and Cunningham Island.Formerly
known at Rockcliffe but not collected there since 1911. Above Billings Bridge on
the Rideau it was collected as late as 1934, but was absent in 1953. {A. furcatus
Muhl.; A. provincialis Lam., not Retz) Map 122.

45. Sorghum Moench

Large and succulent annual with ample and dense panicle. Spikelets in pairs,
the lower sessile one fertile, the upper on a slender pedicel, well developed
but staminate. Glumes hard and smooth, yellowish, pink or purple, hairy. Lemma
very thin and coarselv awned. Foliage hairless.

7. Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Stapf SUDAN-GRASS

Sometimes grown as annual forage to be cut as green hay or grazed. Macoun
preserved specimens from a roadside in Hull in 1894 and from a waste place along
Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa, in 1900 but no others have since been gathered outside
of cultivation. It apparently does not persist in our climate.

Economic varieties of Sorghum (S. vulgare) are not generally grown in the
District.

46. Sorghastrum Nash

A tall coarse perennial growing in clumps from short thickened rhizomes.
Panicles large and contracted, terminating the culms. Spikelets sessile on the
short panicle-branches, each paired with a hair-fringed pedicel of a second absent
spikelet. Glumes hard and smooth, yellow-brown; the lower inrolled and hairy.
Lemmas very thin and transparent; awn bent and twisted, about 1 cm. long. Blades
hairless; lowermost sheaths sometimes pilose; top of sheath prolonged into an
upright auricle; ligule membranous.

J. Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash INDIAN-GRASS

A species characteristic of Tall-grass Prairie, present along the sandy or
dry rocky shores of the Ottawa and Gatineau Rivers and of the lower Rideau.
Since it ranges up the Ottawa to above Mattawa and up the Gatineau beyond Mount
Laurier and is not present along river systems from the south, its entrance into
the District may have been down from the north and northwest. Abundant at Const-
ance Bay and Farmer Rapids, but scarce elsewhere. The station collected by
Macoun in 1897 and Harrington in 1905 at the rapids on the Rideau was thought
extinct until the patch was found in 1953 on the north shore between Billings
Bridge and Hog's Back. Map 123.

Some plants are quite glaucous in stems and foliage (e.g. Dore & Breitung
9301 from Ennis Point; Dore 16057 from Chelsea).

TRIBE XI. TRIPSACEAE

47. ZeaL.

Tall, stout, cultivated annual grass with pith-filled culm and broad coarse

68

blades. Spikelets 2-floreted, unisexual; the staminate segregated into a large
terminal spreading panicle of racemes known as the tassel, the pistillate densely
compacted into a thick succulent spike (the ear) surrounded by the numerous
leaves of the husk and situated on a short lateral branch of the culm. Foliage
hairless; ligule short, membranous and fringed.

7. Zea mays L. INDIAN CORN, MAIZE

Extensively cultivated as a fodder plant for ensiling green and as a table
vegetable for its grain. Not grown as successfully for feed grain as in warmer
parts of Ontario.

Sporadic plants may develop in dumps and around barnyards from viable
grain dropped early in the summer, but not persisting from year to year independ-
ently. No specimens collected out of cultivation have been preserved.

DISTRIBUTION MAPS OF SPECIES
AND THEIR INTERPRETATION*

It is generally recognized that all native species (and most introduced
species) exhibit a 'pattern' of geographic distribution which corresponds to a
pattern exhibited by the factors that influence their spread and persistence.
Patterns of distribution, however, only become apparent when botanical surveys
have been sufficiently thorough to record reliably most places where a species is
present or, egually important, where it is absent. 'False patterns' result when the
survey sampling is inadeguate or irregular, and this, to a large extent, is still
the case with the Ottawa District. Instead of a true pattern, the maps of the
distribution of species of grasses give a biased picture because collections have
not been made uniformly throughout the District.

To assist in the interpretation of the maps, a composite map has been con-
structed to indicate the intensity of botanical collection. The composite map is
included at the end on transparent paper, so that an overlay comparison can be
made. This composite map was made by plotting all the 2,250 grass records on a
single 2-mile sguare grid and summarizing the data by allowing one dot for every
five collections. It is obvious from this composite map that a disproportionately
large number of collections have been made in the immediate vicinity of the City,
particularly around the Experimental Farm and in the area south from it to the
Rideau River. With this fact before us, we can be guite sure that certain species,
such as Glyceria melicaria, Danthonia compressa, Deschampsia flexuosa and
Bromus tectorum do not occur, and never have occurred in this part of the District.

On the other hand, there are many sguare miles of area in the two eastern
guadrants of the District where no specimens of grasses have been collected.
The southeastern guadrant is largely level rock-free land, extensively farmed, and
conseguently has had little attraction for the average field botanist. The north-
eastern guadrant is rocky and wooded, and undoubtedly still retains most of its
native species, but it has not been studied intensively, possibly because it is

The symbols used in the plot maps are as follows: a solid symbol indicates the site of
collection of a specimen preserved in a herbarium and available for examination prior to 1953. Open
symbols indicate sight records by the author, or specimens examined after 1953. A tick on a symbol
represents an additional specimen collected at the same site.

69

relatively remote and inaccessible. Therefore, in either of these eastern quadrants
the absence of a plot record for any particular species is of little significance,
and does not necessarily mean that the species is lacking.

By taking such matters into consideration, some true patterns of distribution
become apparent from the records already available. These are of several cate-
gories:

(1) Introduced and well-adapted species — These have a widely spread
pattern, conforming rather closely to the pattern of botanical collection.
Examples: Poa pratensis, Agropyron repens, Phleum pratense, Echinochloa
crusgalli, Setaria viridis.

(2) Introduced species not well adapted — If not adapted to conditions in
the District, the species are found in a concentrated pattern around the city where
their chances of being repeatedly introduced by human activity are greater and
where a wide variety of disturbed habitats are available.

Examples: Festuca rubra, Cynosurus cristatus, Alopecurus pratensis, Antho-
xanthum odoratum, Phalaris canariensis, Panicum miliaceum.

(3) Introduced species of recent or sporadic arrival — They exhibit a pattern
concentrated at the site of introduction, spreading outwards.

Examples: Bromus tectorum, Poa chaixii, Glyceria maxima, Digitaria sanguinalis,
Setaria verticillata.

(4) Native species of widespread distribution — These occur in (a) well-
drained and (b) ill-drained habitats and present uniform pattern (corresponding to
the intensity of collecting).

Examples: (a) well-drained habitats: Bromus ciliatus, Schizachne purpurascens,
Danthonia spicata, Agrostis scabra, Oryzopsis asperifolia, Panicum lanuginosum;
(b) ill-drained habitats: Glyceria grandis, Poa palustris, Calamagrostis canadensis,
Leersia oryzoides.

(5) Native species migrating from the south during the Xerothermic Period -

These species show a pattern following the shores of Ottawa River and only the
lower portions of the Gatineau and Rideau tributaries. Migration appears to have
been overland from the southwest via the 'Thousand Islands Bridge' over thin-
soiled rock or along the Mississippi or other tributaries from the same direction
into the Ottawa. Spread into the lowlands was prevented by the Ottawa Sea.
Examples: Bromus kalmii, Poa saltuensis, Agropyron trachycaulum, Hystrix
patula, Sporobolus heterolepis, Oryzopsis racemosa, Panicum latifolium, Panicum
flexile, Andropogon gerardii, Andropogon scoparius, Sorghastrum nutans.

(6) Native species migrating from the north — Subsequent to the 'Boreal
Pincers' migration across the region north of the District (a) from the east and
(b) from the west, some species moved southward down the Gatineau, southeast-
ward down the Ottawa, or overland across the Laurentian Shield.

Examples: (a) Glyceria melicaria, Torreyochloa pallida, Trisetum spicatum,
Trisetum melicoides, Danthonia compressi, Cinna lati folia, Muhlenbergia uniflora,

70

Panicum boreale. (b) Phragmites communis, Elymus canadensis. Agrostis peren-
nanst Spartina pectinata, Hierochlo& odorata.

(7) Native species related to late stages of the Ottawa Sea and its estuarian
shores — These have present-day patterns restricted to the valley below Ottawa.
Examples: Bromus purgans, Eragrostis hypnoides, Elymus wiegandii, Cinna
arundinacea, Muhlenhergia frondosa, Leersia oryzoides, Echinochloa pungens,
E chinochloa walteri.

POSTGLACIAL HISTORY OF THE OTTAWA DISTRICT

It is known that the whole of the District was covered by a great thickness
of ice during the Wisconsin Glaciation and that this ice persisted until some time
later than 10,000 years ago. It is also known that, subseguently, most parts of the
District were flooded by various bodies of water both saline and fresh. The reason
for flooding was the depressed level of the land or local blockage of drainage
channels by temporary obstructions.

The sequence of these events, the limits of their physiographic effects, their
dates and duration have been given increasing attention by geologists and pedol-
ogists. As yet no comprehensive treatment has been prepared to correlate the
numerous findings and to summarize the evidence in a form helpful to phytogeog-
raphers. Such events had great influence in determining when plants entered the
District, from what direction and where they happen to be found at present.

Tne distribution patterns exhibited by the grasses provide only a few exam-
ples out of the many that might be provided by native species of the complete
flora. Certain inferences already made to explain the pattern shown by the grass
species in terms of postglacial events are based on assumptions such as the
following.

. The total present flora postdates the withdrawal of the Wisconsin Ice Sheet.

. Colonization of the area was by species that survived glaciation in the region
south of the terminal moraine.

. These species entered the District from various directions depending on the
direction and continuity of the routes open for their migration. The shores of
the postglacial seas and lakes, for example, provided continuous habitats for
the migration of strand species.

. As seas and lakes expanded, all land plants were eliminated, as were any
strand plants which could not keep up with the advancing shore lines.

. As seas and lakes receded, broad and excellent avenues for rapid migration of
almost any type of plant were provided.

. As the forest cover on this new land thickened up, many low-growing plants
were shaded out. Survival of these forms was favored by certain extreme land
forms created by the retreating waters, such as wave-washed pavements and
cliffs, deep sand deposits, springy slopes, undrained depressions, and en-

71

trenching drainage courses. In this way certain low-growing, heliophylous
species found ref ugia where they could persist free from the competition of the

forest.
. A few shade-tolerant species invaded the developing forest and moved with it.

. During the period up until about 3,000 years ago, the climate was much warmer
and probably drier than at present. Certain species invaded at this time, to be
rendered 'sedentary' by later climatic conditions.

As a basis for further comparisons of the relationship between postglacial
events and plant distribution in the District, a tentative map showing the approx-
imate limits of the Champlain and Ottawa Seas is provided (Figure 2). The un-
shaded areas include the high land in the Laurentian Shield above about 700 feet
elevation which is thought to have escaped postglacial flooding. All of the shaded
areas were covered by the Champlain Sea. The hatched area was later covered by
the Ottawa Sea with its maximum limit plotted at about the 400-foot contour. A
later stage is indicated by crosshatching to represent the position of estuaries
along the shore of a waning (Ottawa?) Sea. These limits are plotted at 250 feet
elevation, those of some large former channels of the Ottawa River west of the
City at 300 feet elevation.

72

Figure 2. Map of Ottawa District showing approximate limits
of areas inundated by postglacial seas.

73

APPENDIX I

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF COLLECTORS

Year Collector and number of specimens Specimens

1862 McMorine 1 1

63 McMorine 1 1

1876 Whyte 2 2

77 Fletcher 1 1

78 Fletcher 4, Whyte 1 5

79 Fletcher 10, Whyte 14, anon. 2 26

1880 Fletcher 10, Whyte 4 14

81 Fletcher 1 1

82 Whyte 1, anon. 2 3

83 Fletcher 4 4

84 Macoun 12, anon. 1 13

86 Macoun 3 3

87 Whyte 1 1

88 Macoun 1 1

89 Macoun 1 1

1890 Scott 12 12

91 Scott 10, Whyte 7 17

92 Fletcher 2, Scott 5 7

93 Fletcher 1, Macoun 3, Scott 1 5

94 Macoun 25, anon. 1 26

96 Macoun 6, Ross 1 7

97 Macoun 14 14

98 Fowler 2, Macoun 8 10

99 Fletcher 1, Fowler 1, Macoun 1 3

1900 Macoun 4 4

01 Fletcher 1 1

02 Fletcher 2, Macoun 7 9

03 Fletcher 3, Macoun 61, Richard 1 65

04 Fletcher 4 4

05 Fletcher 4, Harrington 12, Hayes 1, Macoun 1. 18

06 Harrington 15 15

07 Fletcher 1, Harrington 6 7

08 Fletcher 1, Harrington 6, Macoun 1 8

09 Groh 10, Harrington 1 11

1910 Groh 5 5

11 Gussow 1, Macoun 111, Malte 2 114

12 Malte 1 1

13 Macoun 2, Malte 3 5

14 Adams 2 2

15 Fyles 1, Rolland 3 4

16 Hewitt 1, Inglis 1, Rolland 2 4

17 Malte 1, Rolland 8 9

18 Inglis 2, Rolland 2 4

19 Adams 7, Rolland 4, Victorin 1 12

1920 Inglis 1, Victorin 1, anon. 1 3

First

ecies

Records

1

1

1

1

2

2

1

1

5

5

22

20

13

7

1

1

3

2

2

0

10

2

3

3

1

0

1

1

1

0

12

5

15

4

6

2

5

1

24

10

7

0

14

1

10

3

3

0

4

1

1

1

8

0

50

8

4

0

17

2

14

1

6

0

6

0

10

1

5

0

66

2

1

0

5

0

2

0

4

0

2

0

7

0

3

0

10

0

3

0

6

0

37

3

22

3

3

0

3

1

2

0

2

0

10

0

12

0

32

2

19

0

24

1

23

3

8

1

40

1

26

0

21 Rolland 6, anon. 1 7

22 Groh 1, Malte 59, Victorin 1 61

23 Groh 6, Malte 21 27

24 Groh 2, Rolland 2 4

26 Groh 3 . 3

1927 Groh 2 .. 2

28 Groh 2 2

1930 Adams 1, Conners 1, Groh 7, Porsild 2 11

31 Adams 4, Dore 5, Groh 1, Victorin 2 12

32 Anderson 1, Dore 45, Minshall 3 49

33 Dore 2, Groh 1, Minshall 19 22

34 Cleonique 5, Minshall 25 30

35 Anderson 1, Cleonique 1, Dore 9, Minshall 13,
Rolland 1, Victorin 3 28

36 Anderson 1, Dore 30, Groh 4, Minshall 3, Dore
5, Groh 3, Minshall 1 9

38 Adams 1, Cairns 1, Cameron 1, Dore 12, Groh.
11, Minshall 12, Porsild 1, Senn 44 83

39 Gillett 3, Minshall 62, Porsild 1, Senn 12 78

1940 Anderson 1, Dore 3, Gillett 2, Groh 3, Jolicoe-

ur 1, Minshall 1, Senn 15, Zinck 2 28 19

41 Anderson 2, Erskine 1, Groh 30, Minshall 28,
Senn 145, Wright 1, Zinck 4 211

42 Anderson 4, Conners 1, Groh 11, Hart 1, Senn 3 20

43 Dore 34, Gillett 1, Groh 1, Lamarre 1, Minshall
23, Zinck 4 64

44 Dore 4, Gillett 1, Groh 2, Minshall 2, Senn 2,
Zinck 5 16

45 Frankton 1, Gillett 2, Groh 5, Lamarre 1, Min-
shall 11, Senn 2, Soper 2 24

46 Anderson, A.W. 1, Calder 19, Gillett l,Groh 5,
Senn 1, Soper 16, Tennant 1 44

47 Breitung 17, Calder 45, Cody 11, Dore 94,
Frankton 1, Gillett 17, Groh 6, LeGallo 2,
Minshall 2 194

48 Bassett 6, Breitung 46, Calder 6, Cody 5, Dore
94, Frankton 3, Groh 6, Lloyd 1 167

49 Dore 44, Frankton 5, Groh 6, Lindsay 3, Nowo-
sad 1 59

1950 Bassett 1, Calder 6, Dore 43, Frankton 1, Groh

3, Monette 1, Mulligan 1 56

51 Calder 2, Cody 1, Dore 39, Frankton 2, Groh 3,
Monette 1, Mulligan 1, Ouren 7 56

52 Bassett 1, Bragg 1, Calder 3, Cody 2, Dore 75,
Gillett 3, Groh 1, LeGallo 1 , 87

53 Anderson, A.W. 6, Bowden 1, Dore 168, Frank-
ton 4, Broh 12, Gutteridge 1, Jenkins 81, Lind-
say 1 275 77 0

TOTAL SPECIMENS 2,250

49

2

17

0

40

1

13

1

20

0

34

1

65

2

63

0

29

1

25

0

33

2

35

2

APPENDIX II

CHECK LIST OF SPECIES

Species

Date of

Number of

first

specimens

Map

Pag<

collection

(up to 1953)

Number

TRIBE I FESTUCEAE

1. Bromus

ciliatus

1903

23

2

14

inermis *

1906

16

1

13

japonicus *

1935

3

6

15

kalmii

1880

8

3

14

purgans

1922

3

4

14

secalinus *

1879

4

5

15

tectorum *

1946

4

7

15

2. Festuca

arundinacea *

1940

3

9

17

capillata *

1944

5

13

18

elatior *

1888

13

8

17

obtusa

1878

14

10

17

ovina *

1898

19

12

17

rubra *

1926

8

11

17

3. Glyceria

borealis

1880

18

14

19

canadensis

1878

25

16

19

grandis

1879

35

18

20

maxima *

1952

7

19

20

melicaria

1892

8

13

19

striata

1879

38

17

20

4. Torreyochloa

fernaldii

1879

9

20

21

5. Poa

alsodes

1892

15

26

24

annua *

1894

11

29

25

chaixii *

1951

1

28

25

compressa *

1890

39

22

24

glauca (?)

1947

1

24

24

nemoralis *

1935

11

23

24

palustris

1886

32

25

24

pratensis *

1886

40

21

23

saltuensis

1898

18

27

25

trivialis *

1936

2

28

25

6. Eragrostis

frankii *

1947

2

34

27

hypnoides

1891

8

30

26

megastachya *

1900

8

31

26

pectinacea *

1922

10

33

27

poaeoides *

1936

11

32

26

7. Molinia

caerulea *

1951

1

35

27

8. Dactylis

glomerata *

1898

16

36

27

9. Cynosurus

cristatus *

1941

5

37

28

10. Phragmites

communis

1863

17

38

28

11. Schizachne

purpurascens

1879

37

39

29

TRIBE II HORDEAE

12. Agropyron

cristatiforme *

1936

3

43

30

repens *

1894

34

40

29

smithii *

1923

2

41

30

trachycaulum

1894

28

42

30

13. Triticum

aestivum *

1932

1

31

14. Secale

cereale *

1903

3

31

15. Elymus

canadensis

1882

9

45

33

villosus

1991

1

32

virginicus

1879

55

44

32

wiegandii

1932

3

46

33

16. Hystrix

patula

1879

30

47,48

34

17. Horde urn

jubatum

1879

17

49

35

vulgare *

1936

2

34

18. Lolium

multiflorum *

1936

2

51

36

perenne *

1936

2

50

35

TRIBE III AVENEAE

19. Sphenopholis

intermedia

1886

17

52

36

20. Trisetum

melicoides

1903

1

54

37

spicatum

1903

5

53

37

21. Deschampsia

caespitosa

1880

10

55

37

flexuosa

1938

3

56

38

22. Avena

fatua *

1903

3

57

38

sativa *

—

0

38

23. Danthonia

compressa

1903

6

59

39

spicata

1880

40

58

39

TRIBE IV AGROSTIDEAE

24. Calamagrostis

canadensis

1881

26

60

40

neglecta

1905

1

61

40

25. Agrostis

gigantea *

1894

39

62

41

canina *

1923

1

67

43

palustris *

1905

38

63

41

perennans

1879

45

66

42

scabra

1891

14

65

42

tenuis *

1923

5

64

42

26. Cinna

arundinacea

1884

6

68

43

latifolia

1890

19

69

43

27. Alopecurus

aequalis

1879

20

70

44

pratensis *

1937

8

71

44

28. Phleum

pratense *

1876

36

72

44

29. Muhlenbergia

frondosa

1922

10

73

46

glomerata

1881

15

76

46

mexicana

1887

65

74,75

46

uniflora

1943

1

77

47

30. Sporobolus

heterolepis

1877

3

80

48

neglectus

1879

34

78

47

vaginiflorus

1935

14

79

47

31. Brachyelytrum

erectum

1894

22

81

49

32. Milium

effusum

1901

13

82

49

33. Oryzopsis

asperifolia

1879

41

83

50

pungens

1890

12

85

50

racemosa

1880

30

84

50

TRIBE V CHLORIDEAE

34. Spartina

pectinata

1879

43

86

51

TRIBE VI PHALARIDEAE

35. Hierochloe

odoiJta

1897

36. Anthoxanthum

odor at um * .

1911

37. Phalaris

arundinacea *

1879

canarien.sis *

1879

TRIBE VII ORYZEAE

38. Leersia

oryzoides

1879

virginica

1878

39. Zizania

aquatica

1862

TRIBE IX PANICEAE

40. Digitaria

ischaemum *

1880

sanguinalis *

1894

41. Panicum

boreale i

1890

capillare

1879

depauperatum

1934

dichotomiflorum *

1949

flexile

1879

lanuginosum

1880

latifolium

1909

linearifolium

1893

miliaceum *

1891

philadelphicum

1911

tsugetorum

1890

tuckermanii

1894

xanthophysum

1878

42. Echinochloa

crusgalli *

1884

pungens

1879

walteri

1952

43. Setaria

glauca *

1879

italica *

--

verticillata *

1941

viridis *

1876

TRIBE X ANDROPOGONEAE

44. Andropogon

gerardii

1894

15

5

32
10

49
21

72

87

88

90
89

91
92

93,94,95

51

52

53
53

53
54

55

31

97

57

10

96

57

20

100

60

69

109

62

15

98

59

3

107

62

9

108

62

102

102,103,104

60

4

106

62

41

99

59

8

112

63

7

110

63

11

101

60

21

I'll

63

18

105

61

60

113

64

43

114,115,116

64

3

117

65

47

118

65

0

66

13

120

66

51

119

66

17

122

67

scoparius

1894

27

45. Sorghum

sudanense *

1894

2

46. Sorghastrum

nutans

1882

29

TRIBE XI TRIPSACEAE

47. Zea

mays *

0

121 67

68

123 68

69

TOTAL = 124 species (71 native, 53 introduced *) =2,250 specimens

1. Bromus inermis

16 SPECIMENS

23 SPECIMENS

2. Bromus ciliatus • var. ciliatus

a var. intonsus

SPECIMENS

3 SPECIMENS

3. Bromus kalmii

4. Bromus purgans

4 SPECIMENS

5. Bromus secalinus

3 SPECIMENS

6. Bromus japonicus

4 SPECIMENS

13 SPECIMENS

7. Bromus tectorum

8. Festuca elatior

3 SPECIMENS

14 SPECIMENS

9. Festuca arundinacea

10. Festuca obtusa

8 SPECIMENS

11. Festuca rubra

19 SPECIMENS

12. Festuca ovina • var duriuscula

▲ f hispidula

5 SPECIMENS

18 SPECIMENS

13. Festuca capillata

14. Glyceria borealis

8 SPECIMENS

15. Giyceria melicaria

25 SPECIMENS

16. Glyceria canadensis • var- canadensis

a var. laxa

38 SPECIMENS

17. Glyceria striata * var- striata
a var. stricta

35 SPECIMENS

18. Glyceria grandis * l Srandis
▲ f. pallescens

19. Glyceria maxima

9 SPECIMENS

20. Torreyochloa fernaldii

40 SPECIMENS

39 SPECIMENS

21. Poa pratensis

22. Poa compressa

II SPECIMENS

SPECIMEN

23. Poa nemoralis

24. Poa Tglauca

33 SPECIMENS

\ ^ 15 SPECIMENS

25. Poa palustris

26. Poa alsodes

18 SPECIMENS

27. Poa saltuensis

3 i SPECIMENS

28. • Poa trivialis * Poa chaixii

II SPECIMENS

SPECIMENS

29. Poa annua

30. Eragrostis hypnoides

SPECIMENS

II SPECIMENS

31. Eragrostis megastachya

32. Eragrostis poaeoides

10 SPECIMENS

2 SPECIMENS \

33. Eragrostis pectinacea

34. Eragrostis frankii

I SPECIMENS

16 SPECIMENS

35. Molinia caerulea

36. Dactylis glomerata

5 SPECIMENS

^ 17 SPECIMENS^

37. Cynosurus cristatus

38. Phragmites communis

37 SPECIMENS

34 SPECIMENS

39. Schizachne purpurascens

40. Agropyron repens

l SPECIMENS

28 SPECIMENS

41. Agropyron smithii

42. Agropyron trachycaulum

3 SPECIMENS

55 SPECIMENS

43. Agropyron pectiniforme

44. Elymus virginicus

9 SPECIMENS

45. Elymus canadensis

3 SPECIMENS

46. Elymus wiegandii

12 SPECIMENS

47. Hystrix patula f. patula

v ^- 18 SPECIMENS

Hystrix patula f. bigeloviana

17 SPECIMENS

2 SPECIMENS

49. Hordeum jubatum

50. Lolium perenne

2 SPECIMENS

51. Lolium muttiflorum

17 SPECIMENS

52. Sphenopholis intermedia #f- intermedia

a pilose form

5 SPECIMENS

SPECIMEN

53. Trisetum spicatum

54. Trisetum melicoides

10 SPECIMENS

55. Deschampsia caespitosa • var- 2,auca

a var. parviflora

3 SPECIMENS

56. Deschampsia flexuosa

3 SPECIMENS

40 SPECIMENS

57. Avena fatua

58. Danthonia spicata

6 SPECIMENS

26 SPECIMENS

59. Danthonia compressa

60. Calamagrostis canadensis

SPECIMEN

39 SPECIMENS

61. Calamagrostis neglecta

62. Agrostis gigantea

38 SPECIMENS

5 SPECIMENS

63. Agrostis palustris

64. Agrostis tenuis

14 SPECIMENS

45 SPECIMENS

65. Agrostis scabra

66. Agrostis perennans

SPECIMEN

6 SPECIMENS

67. Agrostis canina

68. Cinna arundinacea

19 SPECIMENS

20 SPECIMENS

69. Cinna latifolia

70. Alopecurus aequalis

SPECIMENS

36 SPECIMENS

71. Alopecurus pratensis

72. Phleum pratense

13 SPECIMENS

73. Muhlenhergia frondosa # f- fron,losa

a{. commutata

41 SPECIMENS

74. Muhlenhergia mexicana f. mexicana

24 SPECIMENS

15 SPECIMENS

75. Muhlenhergia mexicana f. setiglumis

76. Muhlenhergia glomerata

1 SPECIMEN

77. Muhlenhergia uniflora

34 SPECIMENS

78. Sporobolus neglectus

14 SPECIMENS

SPECIMENS

79. Sporobolus vaginiflorus

80. Sporobolus heterolepis

22 SPECIMENS

81. Brachyelytrum erectum • va/ e/ectu,m
a var. septentnonale

13 SPECIMENS

82. Milium effusum

41 SPECIMENS

30 SPECIMENS

83. Oryzopsis asperifolia

84. Oryzopsis racemosa

12 SPECIMENS

43 SPECIMENS

85. Oryzopsis pungens

86. Spartina pectinata

\ ^ 15 SPECIMENS

87. Hierochloe odorata

5 SPECIMENS

88. Anthoxanthum odoratum

10 SPECIMENS

89. Phalaris canariensis

90. Phalaris arundinacea •

32 SPECIMENS

f. variegata

49 SPECIMENS

\ ^ 21 SPECIMENS

91. Leersia oryzoides

92. Leersia virginica

11 SPECIMENS

93. Zizania aquatica var aquatica

46 SPECIMENS

94. Zizania aquatica var. angustifolia

4 SPECIMENS

95. Zizania aquatica var. interior

10 SPECIMENS

96. Digitaria sanguinalis

31 SPECIMENS

97. Digitaria ischaemum

15 SPECIMENS

98. Panicum depauperatum

41 SPECIMENS

99. Panicum linearifolium *v. linearifolium

a var. werneri

20 SPECIMENS

100. Panicum boreale * var- borea,e

a var. michiganense

II, SPECIMENS

101. Panicum tsugetorum

28 SPECIMENS

102. Panicum lanuginosum var implicatum

39 SPECIMENS

103. Panicum lanuginosa var. fasciculatum

35 SPECIMENS

104. Panicum lanuginosum, septentrionale

18 SPECIMENS

105. Panicum xanthophysum

4 SPECIMENS

106. Panicum latif olium

3 SPECIMENS

107. Panicum dichotomiflorum

9 SPECIMENS

108. Panicum flexile

69 SPECIMENS

109. Panicum capillare

7 SPECIMENS

110. Panicum philadelphicum

21 SPECIMENS

8 SPECIMENS

111. Panicum tuckermanii

112. Panicum miliaceum

60 SPECIMENS

9 SPECIMENS

113. Echinochloa crusgalli

114. Echinochloa pungens var. pungens

4 SPECIMENS

30 SPECIMENS

115. Echinochloa pungens var. microstachya

116. Echinochloa pungens var. wiegandii

3 SPECIMENS

47 SPECIMENS

117. Echinochloa waiter!

118. Setaria glauca

61 SPECIMENS

13 SPECIMENS

119. Setaria viridis

120. Setaria verticillata

27 SPECIMENS

17 SPECIMENS

121. Andropogon scoparius

122. Andropogon gerardii

29 SPECIMENS

123. Sorghastrum nutans

Map representing the intensity of botanical collecting of grass specimens. Each
dot represents 5 specimens of the total of 2,250 specimens collected up to 1953.

,U.B.F.£.RY X BIBLIOTHEQUE

AGRICULTURE CANADA OTTAWA K 1A 0C5

3 T073 OOOSims 5

DATE DUE

sJiiKf n -^— .-

vJUlN " v

I 6UUU

GAYLORD

PRINTED IN U.SA

Price $1,00 Cat. No. A43-1049

Printed by the Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Canada.
1959