L.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.150875
Element CodePMPOA6J010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusZizania
Other Common Namesannual wildrice (EN) Annual Wild Rice (EN) Indian Wild Rice (EN) Zizanie à fleurs blanches (FR)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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 CommentsThe treatments of Zizania aquatica in Kartesz's 1994 and 1999 checklists appear to match - placing Zizania aquatica var. angustifolia and var. interior in the synonomy of Z. palustris. As such, this treatment of Z. aquatica is in a strict sense, occurring only in eastern North America. This appears to be the same treatment accepted in the Catalogue of New World Grasses (Judziewicz, et al. 2000).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-23
Change Date1984-10-03
Edition Date2024-09-23
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsZizania aquatica is a wide-ranging annual graminoid with two varieties in a variety of open wetlands occurring in central and eastern North America from Manitoba east to New Brunswick south to South Dakota, and Iowa east to Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to Louisiana, and it has been introduced in western North America and Europe. Threats include development, rights-of-way maintenance, dredging/filling, hydrological alteration, pollution, recreational activities, herbivory, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsZizania aquatica occurs in central and eastern North America and is "native from the central plains to the eastern seaboard" from Manitoba east to New Brunswick south to South Dakota, and Iowa east to Pennsylvania, south to Florida and west to Louisiana (FNA 2007). Populations have been introduced in western North America for wildfowl food, and it has been introduced in Europe (FNA 2007). Native range extent was estimated to be over 4 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). See individual entries for distribution details about the two varieties.
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 450 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact CommentsThis species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, dredging/filling, hydrological alteration, pollution (including runoff, mining seepage, industrial effluents, nutrient loads, erosion/sedimentation, and herbicides), recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), herbivory (including deer and muskrats), invasive species, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.