Plants and Animals
Poa alpina Alpine bluegrass
Key Characteristics
Small sparsely tufted grass (40 cm) of the Upper Peninsula; leaves narrow (2-4 mm); inflorescence pyramidal, twice as tall as wide; lemmas are 3-nerved, have long, fine hairs between the margin and the keel, and lack a tuft of cobwebby hairs at the base.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: T - Threatened (legally protected)
Global Rank: G5 - Secure
State Rank: S1S2 - Rank is uncertain, ranging from critically imperiled to imperiled
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa | 1 | 1984 |
| Keweenaw | 21 | 2015 |
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
Alpine bluegrass is found in moist to dry limestone and in basaltic rock crevices and exposed heathlands along Great Lakes shores, particularly on Isle Royale, Keweenaw County, and Drummond Island.
Natural Community Types
- Alvar
- Boreal forest
- Limestone bedrock lakeshore
- Limestone cobble shore
- Volcanic bedrock glade
- Volcanic bedrock lakeshore
- Volcanic lakeshore cliff
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Associated Plants
Harebell, yarrow, cat's foot, downy oat grass, shrubby cinquefoil, Richardson's sedge, bulrush sedge, bunchberry, little bluestem, prairie dropseed, Canadian milk vetch, sedges, Indian paintbrush, field chickweed, bastard toad flax, grass, hair grass, prairie smoke, ground juniper, bee-balm, and old field goldenrod.
Management Recommendations
This species requires protection of the habitat and perpetuation of natural disturbance and hydrological regimes. Plants may not tolerate later stages of succession and likely require management that prevents woody plant encroachment such as prescribed burns or woody plant removal. This species is susceptible to damage from excessive recreational use and foot traffic.
Survey Methods
Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgement of the investigator.
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Meander search
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Survey Period: From first week of June to fourth week of August
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References
Survey References
- Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.
- Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316
- Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.
- Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.
- Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.
Technical References
- Dore, W.G. and J. McNeill. 1980. Grasses of Ontario. Agriculture Canada Research Monographs 26: 566pp.
- Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.
- Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.
- Hitchcock, A. S. 1951. Manual of the Grasses of the United States. Second ed. Revised by A. Chase. U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publications 200. 1051pp.
- Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.
- Scoggan, H.J. 1978. The Flora of Canada. National Museum of Natural Science Publications Botany 4: 1711pp.
- Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan Flora. Part I. Gymnosperms and Monocots. Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 488pp.