Wideleaf Polargrass

wideleaf polargrass
polargrass
reed-arcticgrass
tall arcticgrass

More info for the term: spikelet

Wideleaf polargrass is a perennial, native, sod-forming grass. Culms range from
1 to 4 feet (0.3-1.2 m) tall. Leaf blades are 1.6 to 11.8 inches (4-30
cm) long and 0.16 to 0.56 inch (4-14 mm) wide. Plants have a narrow,
somewhat open panicle that is 2.8 to 11 inches (7-28 cm) long. There is
one flower per spikelet, and spikelets range from 0.12 to 0.18 inch
(3-4.6 mm) long. The species is variable, but the typical form seldom
exceeds 1.8 feet (0.5 m) in height and has purple spikelets 4 mm long or
longer [10].

Wideleaf polargrass is a circumboreal species. In North America it occurs in
Alaska, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon Territory [10].

More info for the term: fire regime

Wideleaf polargrass survives fire by sprouting from rhizomes [25].

FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".

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More info for the term: geophyte

Geophyte

More info for the terms: mesic, permafrost, tundra

Wideleaf polargrass grows in wet meadows, along rivers, on tundra, in freshwater
marshes, and in inland levees [9,10,21,24]. It is best adapted to cold,
boggy soils and mesic upland soils [18]. In freshwater marshes
wideleaf polargrass is more apparent on hummocks than in depressions [9]. The
inland levees are sandy and well-drained, and have a neutral pH.
Bluejoint-reedgrass (Calamagrostis canadensis) dominates in acidic, less
well-drained areas [21]. Along the Tanana River in Alaska, wideleaf polargrass
stands are always underlain by permafrost with shallow active layers,
commonly 127 to 152 inches (50 to 60 cm) thick [24].

Common overstory dominants include Sitka alder (Alnus sitchensis), white
spruce (Picea glauca), black spruce (P. mariana), paper birch (Betula
papyrifera), and dwarf alpine birch (B. nana). Understory associates
include Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), mountain cranberry
(Vaccinium vitis-idaea), flowering dogwood (Cornus canadensis),
horsetail (Equisetum arvense), northern comandra (Geocaulon lividum),
bluejoint-reedgrass, rough fescue (Festuca altaica), tall fescue (F.
arundinacea), and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum).

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

107 White spruce
201 White spruce
202 White spruce - paper birch
204 Black spruce
217 Aspen
251 White spruce - aspen
252 Paper birch
253 White spruce - black spruce
254 Black spruce - paper birch

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES11 Spruce - fir
FRES19 Aspen - birch
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES44 Alpine

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the term: forest

K015 Western spruce - fir forest
K052 Alpine meadows and barren
K094 Conifer bog

Wideleaf polargrass is top-killed by fire.

Grizzly bears were observed grazing large quantities of vegetation
during June and July in northwest Canada. Wideleaf polargrass was selected over
other grasses [12]. Reindeer graze wideleaf polargrass in the Northwest
Territories [4].

Wideleaf polargrass is an indicator species in the following plant associations
(pas):

Area Classification Authority

nw AK general veg. pas Hanson 1953
AK general veg. pas Viereck 1989

More info for the term: graminoid

Graminoid

Wideleaf polargrass has several attributes that make it suitable for agronomic
use: excellent forage yield potential, high level of winter hardiness,
rapid spring growth, and succulent herbage containing markedly less
dry-matter than timothy (Phleum pratense) and smooth brome (Bromus
inermis). Once established wideleaf polargrass excels in earliness and vigor of
spring growth [13]. It also shows a greater tolerance of winter ponding
and icing conditions than timothy or smooth brome and has demonstrated
immunity to snow molds (Sclerotinia borealis) which adversely affect
timothy. Wideleaf polargrass generally does not surpass smooth brome for forage
purposes in areas where smooth brome is well-adapted, but it does
provide a forage option in strongly acidic soils [18].

Wideleaf polargrass has high food value. Crude protein content averaged 17.8
percent over 2 years of sampling in one study [13]. In another study of
several collections of wideleaf polargrass, one accession contained 19.7 percent
crude protein (N), more than adequate amounts of all other elements tested
(P, K, Mg, Ca), and had 66 percent in vitro digestibility.
Elemental concentrations were good for the first harvest, but were often
lowest compared to other species for the second harvest [19].

AK NT YT

Wideleaf polargrass may be palatable to grizzly bears [13].

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More info for the term: seed

In the Matanuska Valley of Alaska, new panicles of wideleaf polargrass appear
between mid and late June. Anthesis is relatively inconspicuous,
occurring from early July to past the middle of the month. Seed is
mature between September 15 and 25 [13].

More info for the terms: forest, succession, tundra

Wideleaf polargrass has been listed as one of the most dramatic increasers
following tundra and forest fires [3,25,26]. Two years after a tundra
fire, annual plant production on burned areas was greater than unburned
controls as a result of the high production of wideleaf polargrass and bluejoint
reedgrass. They were only minor species in adjacent unburned areas [3].
Wideleaf polargrass is found in the first stage of succession (1 to 20 years)
following fire in black spruce/bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)
stands in northern Alaska [2].

More info for the terms: herb, rhizome

Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil

Wideleaf polargrass reproduces both sexually and vegetatively. Tillers spread
slowly, arising from rhizomes and forming dense clumps [18]. Seeds are
produced in all but the most northern latitudes [5].

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More info for the terms: grassland, succession, tundra

Wideleaf polargrass codominates with other species in grassland tundra
communities. Evidence suggests that it occurs in the early stages of
succession following fire [2]. In succession on river floodplains,
however, it is abundant only in late successional mixed white and black
spruce stands [24].

The currently accepted scientific name for wideleaf polargrass is Arctagrostis
latifolia (R. Br.) Griseb. There are two recognized varieties [10]:

Arctagrostis. latifolia var. latifolia
Arctagrostis latifolia var. arundinacea (Trin.) Griseb.

More info for the terms: competition, forest, natural, permafrost, tundra

Wideleaf polargrass is suitable for revegetation programs on continental tundra
regions of northwest Canada and permafrost soils in subarctic boreal
forest habitats in Alaska [12,16].

`Kenai' and `Alyeska' are currently the only improved cultivars of
wideleaf polargrass. 'Kenai' is recommended for revegetation mixes from lowlands
to alpine situations, but 'Alyeska' is a better choice for the
northernmost regions of Alaska. 'Kenai' does particularly well on
strongly acidic soils in areas with relatively cool, moist growing
seasons [18]. 'Alyeska' had higher production than local collections of
wideleaf polargrass planted on a simulated pipeline trench in the Northwest
Territories. Production of unfertilized 'Alyeska' was equal to
fertilized local collections [16].

The Alaska State Plant Materials Center is currently evaluating
wideleaf polargrass accessions for revegetating gravel till. Initial plantings
were unsuccessful, so experiments were initiated for developing
techniques to improve water and nutrient conditions [11]. Wideleaf polargrass
has naturally invaded and colonized abandoned oil well sites in Alaska
through tillering and seedling establishment [5,17].

The natural combustion of pyrite-bearing bituminous shale at the Smoking
Hills in the Yukon Territory has severely contaminated the atmosphere
and resulted in acid rain. The soil and water have become acidic in the
area of deposition. Wideleaf polargrass was dominant in moderately polluted
areas, indicating potential for use in revegetation of areas with
man-caused acidification, such as near coal smelters [7].

Wideleaf polargrass seeds are very small (2.3 million per pound [5 million/kg]),
resulting in poor seedling vigor. Early growth rates are also slow,
making it a poor candidate for providing initial erosion control.
Wideleaf polargrass is, however, very useful for long-term soil stabilization
[23]. Shallow sowing and low competition are required for successful
establishment [13]. Seeding rates of 5 pounds per acre (5.6 kg/ha) and
7 pounds per acre (7.8 kg/ha) are used for cultivars and local
collections, respectively [16].

Arctagrostis latifolia (R. Br.) Griseb. in Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 4:
434. 1853.
Colpodium latifolium R. Br. Chlor. Melv. 28. 1823.
Vilfa arundinacea Trin. Gram. Unifl. 157. 1824. (Type from Kotzebue Sound, Alaska.) Sporobolus arundinaceus Kunth, Rev. Gram Suppl. xvii. 1830. (Based on Vilfa arundinacea Trin ) Colpodium arnndinaceum Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 238. 1839. (Based on Vilfa arundinacea Trin.) Vilfa xerampelina Trin. Mem. Acad. St.-Petersb. VI. 6 2 : 103. 1840. (Type from British North
America.) Cinna Brown ii Rupr. Beitr. Pfl. Russ. Reich. 2: 66. 1845. (Based on Colpodium latifolium
R. Br.) Arctagrostis latifolia var. arundinacea Griseb. in Ledeb. Fl. Ross. 4: 435. 1853. (Based on Vilfa
arundinacea Trin.) Arctagrostis arundinacea Beal, Grasses N. Am. 2: 317. 1896. (Based on Vilfa arundinacea Trin.) Arctagrostis angustifolia Nash, Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 2: 151. 1901. (Type from Dawson, Yukon
Territory, Williams in 1899.) Arctagrostis macrophylla Nash, Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 2: 151. 1901. (Type from Dawson, Yukon
Territory, Williams in 1899.) Arctagrostis poaeoides Nash, Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 2: 152. 1901. (Type from Dawson, Yukon
Territory, Williams in 1899.)
Culms glabrous, 50-150 cm. tall, or sometimes dwarf; sheaths glabrous, mostly shorter than the internodes, the uppermost elongate; ligule thin, 5-10 mm. long, or shorter on the innovations; blades scabrous, elongate, as much as 1 cm. wide; panicle from narrow and open to contracted and interruptedly spikelike, 10-30 cm. long, the axis scabrous, the branches appressed to spreading, sometimes as much as 10 cm. long, but with some short ones intermixed; glumes glabrous, mostly 3-4 mm. long; lemma glabrous or scaberulous.
Type locality: Arctic British America.
Distribution: Marshes and tundras, circumpolar, in North America from Greenland to Alaska, and southward to Labrador and the upper Yukon basin.

Perennials, Terrestrial, not aquatic, Rhizomes present, Rhizome elongate, creeping, stems distant, Stems nodes swollen or brittle, Stems erect or ascending, Stems solitary, Stems caespitose, tufted, or clustered, Stems terete, round in cross section, or polygonal, Stem internodes hollow, Stems with inflorescence less than 1 m tall, Stems with inflorescence 1-2 m tall, Stems, culms, or scapes exceeding basal leaves, Leaves mostly basal, below middle of stem, Leaves mostly cauline, Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, distichous, Leaves sheathing at base, Leaf sheath mostly open, or loose, Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, Leaf sheath and blade differentiated, Leaf blades linear, Leaf blades 2-10 mm wide, Leaf blades 1-2 cm wide, Leaf blades mostly flat, Leaf blade margins folded, involute, or conduplicate, Leaf blades mostly glabrous, Leaf blades scabrous, roughened, or wrinkled, Ligule present, Ligule an unfringed eciliate membrane, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence an open panicle, openly paniculate, branches spreading, Inflorescence a contracted panicle, narrowly paniculate, branches appressed or ascending, Inflorescence solitary, with 1 spike, fascicl e, glomerule, head, or cluster per stem or culm, Inflorescence branches more than 10 to numerous, Flowers bisexual, Spikelets pedicellate, Spikelets sessile or subsessile, Spikelet less than 3 mm wide, Spikelets with 1 fertile floret, Spikelets solitary at rachis nodes, Spikelets all alike and fertille, Spikelets bisexual, Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes, glumes persistent, Rachilla or pedicel glabrous, Glumes present, empty bracts, Glumes 2 clearly present, Glumes equal or subequal, Glumes shorter than adjacent lemma, Glumes keeled or winged, Glumes 1 nerved, Lemma similar in texture to glumes, Lemma coriaceous, firmer or thicker in texture than the glumes, Lemma 3 nerved, Lemma glabrous, Lemma apex truncate, rounded, or obtuse, Lemma awnless, Lemma margins thin, lying flat, Lemma straight, Palea present, well developed, Palea about equal to lemma, Palea longer than lemma, Palea 2 nerved or 2 keeled, Stamens 3, Styles 2-fid, deeply 2-branched, Stigmas 2, Fruit - caryopsis.

Arctagrostis latifolia, the wideleaf polargrass, is a widespread species of grass (family Poaceae), with a circumpolar distribution in the high Arctic. It is a tetraploid with chromosome number 2n = 4x = 28.