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Brachyelytrum aristosum

(Michx.) Trel.

Northern Shorthusk

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146418
Element CodePMPOA12020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusBrachyelytrum
Synonyms
Brachyelytrum erectum var. septentrionaleBabelBrachyelytrum septentrionale(Babel) G. Tucker
Other Common Names
Brachyélytre du Nord (FR) northern shorthusk (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
Saarela et al. (2003), recognize Brachyelytrum aristosum as a synonym of Brachyelytrum septentrionale. FNA (vol. 24, 2007) and Weakley (Nov. 2012 draft) accept Brachyelytrum aristosum as the correct name, with B. septentrionale listed as a synonym.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-25
Change Date2015-11-10
Edition Date2024-09-25
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Brachyelytrum aristosum is a perennial grass that is native to the eastern United States and Canada. With a large range extent, more than 400 occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Brachyelytrum aristosum is found in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada from Minnesota east to New Foundland and south to Georgia. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be more than 400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Brachyelytrum aristosum is threatened by logging, road construction and maintenance,and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Brachyelytrum aristosum grows in moist woods and forests, thickets, and forest openings (FNA 2007, Chayka 2024, Native Plant Trust 2024). At the southern end of its range, Brachyelytrum aristosum grows mostly at moderate to high elevations, such as northern hardwoods and spruce-fir (Weakley 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest Edge
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS3Yes
LabradorSUYes
OntarioS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
GeorgiaS1Yes
MichiganSNRYes
IndianaS1Yes
North CarolinaS3Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
New JerseyS3Yes
South CarolinaSUYes
TennesseeS2Yes
VirginiaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OhioS4Yes
MarylandSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
VermontS5Yes
IowaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3.5 - Motivation unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
References (12)
  1. Chayka, K. 2024. Minnesota Wildflowers. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2007a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  4. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  5. 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.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  7. Native Plant Trust. 2024. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org (accessed 2024).
  8. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. 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.
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  11. Weakley, A. S. 2012. Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States. Working Draft of 30 November 2012. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Online. Available: http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm (Accessed 2012).
  12. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.