Diarrhena obovata

(Gleason) Brandenburg

Beak Grass

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153015
Element CodePMPOA23020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusDiarrhena
Synonyms
Diarrhena americana var. obovataGleason
Other Common Names
Diarrhène obovée (FR) Ovate Beakgrass (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
Formerly included in Diarrhena americana as var. obovata; considered a distinct species here, following Kartesz (1994 checklist). Reports of "D. americana" from west of the Mississippi are presumably D. ovata instead.
Conservation Status
Review Date1995-10-05
Change Date1995-10-05
Edition Date1995-10-05
Edition AuthorsMorse, Larry E. (1995)
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Moderately large midwestern range; abundance unclear.
Range Extent Comments
A grass that is generally considered a western plant with the center of its range described as Indiana to South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas. Disjunct populations have been reported from New York, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
KansasS3Yes
OhioSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
NebraskaS4Yes
VirginiaSNANo
ArkansasSNRYes
TennesseeS1Yes
MissouriS4Yes
MarylandSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
West VirginiaS2Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
KentuckyS2Yes
IllinoisS4Yes
IowaSNRYes
MichiganS2Yes
WisconsinS2Yes
TexasSNRYes
IndianaS4Yes
MinnesotaS1Yes
New YorkS2Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Swan Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest7,310
References (2)
  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.