J. Campbell
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.797522
Element CodePMPOA2H1W0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusProvisional
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusElymus
Other Common NamesChurch's Wildrye (EN) Church's wildrye (EN)
Concept ReferenceCampbell, J.J.N. 2006. Two new species of Elymus (Poaceae) in the southern U.S.A. and other notes on North American Elymus species. Sida 22(1): 485-494.
Taxonomic CommentsCampbell (2006) newly described Elymus churchii; it was previously included in a broad concept of Elymus interruptus by Steyermark (1963). Elymus churchii is included as a distinct species in Flora of North America (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2007).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2021-08-31
Change Date2021-08-31
Edition Date2021-08-30
Edition AuthorsTomaino, A. (2006), rev. C. Nordman (2021).
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank ReasonsElymus churchii occurs in the central Ouachita and western Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Missouri, and historically Oklahoma. It also occurs in the Cumberland Plateau, along bluffs of the Tennessee River in Alabama. There are about 40 occurrences and it mostly occurs in steep, rocky areas. Trends are unknown, but it has few documented threats.
Range Extent CommentsChurch's Wild Rye occurs in the United States in the central Ouachita and western Ozark Mountains in western Arkansas, southwestern Missouri, and historically in eastern Oklahoma. It is disjunct on the Cumberland Plateau bluffs of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. (Campbell 2006, Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2007, iNaturalist 2021, NatureServe Network Database as of August 2021, Schotz and Dattilo 2012, SEINet 2021).
Occurrences CommentsThere are about 40 locations of Church's Wild Rye which are considered to be extant as of 2021 (iNaturalist 2021, NatureServe Network Database as of August 2021, Schotz and Dattilo 2012, SEINet 2021). There are additional historical locations in Arkansas and one in Oklahoma (Campbell 2006, SEINet 2021).
Threat Impact CommentsThere are few documented threats to Church's Wild Rye. Where it occurs along powerline rights of way, herbicides could be a threat (NatureServe Network Database as of August 2021). Invasive exotic plants, such as wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) are a threat (SEINet 2021).