Calamovilfa longifolia (Hook.) Scribn.
Prairie Sand Reed (Prairie Sand Grass; prairie sandgrass; prairie sandreed; prairie sand-reed)
Poaceae (Grass family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jamie Fenneman     (Photo ID #30065)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Calamovilfa longifolia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Calamovilfa longifolia var. longifolia

Species Information

General:
Perennial, tough, wiry grass from well-developed rhizomes; stems semi-solid, 60-150 cm tall.
Leaves:
Sheaths open, smooth to soft long-hairy, the hairs at the throats 2-3 mm long; blades 3-8 mm wide, strongly in-rolled, narrowed to long, slender tips; ligules scarcely 1 mm long, of short hairs.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a large, narrow to somewhat spreading panicle up to 40 cm long, the lower branches more or less spreading, 3-6 cm long; spikelets 1-flowered, articulating above the glumes, pale green to purplish; glumes (3.5) 4.5-7 mm long, long-pointed, the lower ones 1.5-2.5 mm shorter than the upper ones; lemmas usually intermediate in length between the 2 glumes, smooth, pointed to blunt, unawned, obscurely nerved, the callus hairs abundant, about 1/2 as long as the lemmas; rachillas not prolonged beyond the paleas; paleas from slightly shorter to longer than the lemmas; lodicules broadly egg-shaped, shallowly lobed, about 0.8 mm long and wide; ovaries smooth; anthers 0.5-4.5 mm long.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Late Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Spring to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Calamovilfa longifolia

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
820 815 825
Slope Gradient (%)
7 3 12

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

6 90 283
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 2 3
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
2
Modal BEC Zone Class
PP

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

PP(2)

Habitat and Range

Dry sandy slopes, shrublands and open forests in the steppe and lower montane zones; infrequent in SE BC; E to MB and S to IN, IA, KS, NM and N ID.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia