Phippsia algida

(Sol.) R. Br.
Common names: Icegrass Phippsie froide
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator: Cindy Roché

Copyright: Utah State University

Culms (2) 3.5-15 cm. Leaves cauline or mostly basal; sheaths glabrous; ligules 0.3-1 (1.6) mm, entire, acute; blades 0.6-2.8 cm long, 1.2-3 mm wide, glabrous. Panicles (0.5) 1-2 (3) cm long, 3-7 mm wide, dense or slightly diffuse; rachises smooth; primary branches (0.9) 3-8 (9.5) mm, smooth, usually appressed, sometimes spreading, particularly at anthesis; secondary branches appressed. Spikelets (1) 1.4-1.8 mm long, (0.5) 0.7-0.9 mm wide, with 1 floret. Glumes caducous, often colorless when present; lower glumes 0.05-0.3 mm, obtuse; upper glumes 0.3-0.6 mm; lemmas 1.3-1.8 mm, broadly ovate, rounded on the back, often yellow-green, never with purple coloration extending to the apices, glabrous or with a few soft hairs on the lower 1/3, sometimes sparsely scabridulous below, apices acute to rounded, entire or lacerate; paleas 1.1-1.3 mm, glabrous; anthers 0.3-0.7 mm. Caryopses 1.2-1.6 mm long, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, ellipsoid, widest at or just above the middle. 2n = 28.

Distribution

Colo., Alaska, Alta., B.C., Greenland, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Yukon, Wyo., Mont.

Discussion

Phippsia algida is a circumpolar species that also grows at high elevations in the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. It is one of the first grasses to flower in the high arctic, which may contribute to its success as an early colonizer of disturbed areas. Although highly nitrophilous, it can tolerate a wide range of soils, from highly alkaline to peat and imperfectly drained mud flats. It sometimes hybridizes with Puccinellia vahliana. Plants of P. algida with slightly hairy lemmas have been recognized as P. algida f. vestita Holmb.

The original circumscription of Phippsia algida subsp. algidiformis (Harry Sm.) Á. Löve & D. Love is unclear (Steen et al. 2004). Harry (K.A.H.) Smith subsequently included his specimens in P. concinna, indicating that he no longer recognized the taxon he had described. Some of his specimens, and those of Bay (1992) collected in Greenland, that are deposited at C and O have been reidentified as P. algida or P. concinna (some as depauperate P. concinna) by Reidar Elven (University of Oslo).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number.

... more about "Phippsia algida"
membranous +  and scarious +
2 +  and 1 +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br />) +
acute +  and rounded entire or lacerate +
Laurie L. Consaul +
(Sol.) R. Br. +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
straight +
basal +  and terminal +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (2.8 cm28 mm <br />0.028 m <br />) +
not evident +
cross +, linear +  and narrowly lanceolate +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
spikelike +
Icegrass +  and Phippsie froide +
not rooting +
3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
not woody +
Colo. +, Alaska +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Greenland +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, Que. +, Yukon +, Wyo. +  and Mont. +
1/4 +  and 1/3 +
liquid +, soft +  and hard +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
sterile +  and bisexual +
compressed +
reduced +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
0 +  and 1/3 +
unequal +
uncinate +
basal +  and cauline +
yellow-green +
with a few soft hairs +  and glabrous +
scabridulous +
rounded +  and ovate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
lanceolate +
0.005 cm0.05 mm <br />5.0e-5 m <br /> (0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
well-developed +
2-keeled +
subequal +
0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br /> (0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br />) +
diffuse +  and dense +
1cm +  and 2cm +
spikelike +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
dry +  and fleshy +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (?) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
not prolonged +
not inflated +
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
1 +  and 60 +
laterally compressed +  and nearly terete +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
0.7mm +  and 0.9mm +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Gramineae +
Phippsia algida +
Phippsia +
species +
membranous +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br />) +
parallel +  and converging +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
annual +  and perennial +
plant +, matlike +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +