Diarrhena americana

Beauv.

American Beakgrain

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156224
Element CodePMPOA23010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusDiarrhena
Synonyms
Diarrhena americana var. americana
Other Common Names
American beakgrain (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
As treated here, following Kartesz (1994 checklist), excludes Diarrhena obovata, sometimes treated as D. americana var. obovata. Reports of "D. americana" from west of the Mississippi River are presumably all D. ovata.
Conservation Status
Review Date2008-02-15
Change Date2008-02-15
Edition Date1997-02-26
Edition AuthorsMorse, Larry E. (1995), rev. K. Gravuer (2008)
Rank Reasons
Moderately large range centered on southern Appalachians. This species appears to be relatively frequent and secure in the center of its range, including KY, IN, OH, WV, and TN. It occurs in a more scattered/infrequent manner in a number of surrounding states, in many of which it is considered state-rare. Preferred habitat is rich moist woods, where it is locally threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices.
Range Extent Comments
Apparently most frequent in center of range, including KY, IN, OH, WV, and TN. Also occurs in a more scattered/infrequent manner to the south in northern AL and GA, to the west in AR, OK, MO, and IL, and to the east in PA, MD, VA, and NC; considered rare by many heritage programs in these peripheral states.
Threat Impact Comments
Highly threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
IndianaSNRYes
GeorgiaS1Yes
IllinoisS1Yes
AlabamaS2Yes
VirginiaS3Yes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
IowaS3Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
MissouriS1Yes
OklahomaS1Yes
OhioS5Yes
South DakotaSHYes
TennesseeSNRYes
MichiganS2Yes
CanadaNNR
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Swan Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest7,310
References (3)
  1. Gleason, H.A. 1952. The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 3 volumes. Hafner Press, New York. 1732 pp.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.