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BEN # 198
BBBBB EEEEEE NN N ISSN 1188-603X
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BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL
BB B EE NN NN ELECTRONIC
BBBBB EEEEEE NN N NEWS
No. 198 July 17, 1998
aceska@victoria.tc.ca Victoria, B.C.
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Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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GRASSES OF THE TRIBE HORDEAE IN NORTH AMERICA: 2. KEY
From: Mary Barkworth <stipoid@cc.usu.edu>
The key does not include intergeneric hybrids. They can usually
be detected by their intermediate morphology and sterility. In
sterile plants the anthers are indehiscent, somewhat pointed;
and tend to remain on the plant. Measurements of rachis inter-
nodes and spikelets should be made at mid-spike.
1. Spikelets 2-7 at all or most nodes of the inflorescence
2. Spikelets 3 at each node, each spikelet with only 1
floret, the florets of the lateral spikelets usually
sterile and reduced
................................................. Hordeum
2. Spikelets usually not 3 at each node but, if so, at least
the central spikelet with more than 1 floret
3. Plants annual; spikelets paired, with 2 florets each
but only the first floret fertile; glumes 5-80 mm long,
awn-like; lemmas awned, the awns 20-110 mm long, diver-
gent and often cernuous at maturity
......................................... Taeniatherum
3. Plants perennial; spikelets 2-7 per node, usually with
2 or more fertile florets; glumes various; lemmas awned
or unawned, if awned, the awn up to 80 mm long,
straight, ascending or divergent, but usually not
cernuous, at maturity
4. Glumes 4-18 mm long, subulate to narrowly lanceo-
late, 0-1- veined at midlength; anthers 2.5-10 mm
long
5. Ligules 0.2-0.3 mm long; plants cespitose; in-
florescence a spike with 2 or 3 spikelets per
node
................................ Psathyrostachys
5. Ligules 0.3-8 mm long; plants cespitose or
rhizomatous; inflorescence usually a spike with
1-7 spikelets per node, sometimes a panicle
......................................... Leymus
4. Glumes flat and with 3 or more veins at midlength
or, if subulate and 1-veined, shorter than 4 mm or
longer than 18 mm; anthers 1-9 mm long
6. Plants rhizomatous; anthers 3-9 mm long; leaf
blades prominently ribbed, the ribs closely
packed; plants of coastal or inland beaches,
sometimes cultivated
......................................... Leymus
6. Plants cespitose; anthers 1-3 mm long; plants of
many habitats but not on beaches
......................................... Elymus
1. Spikelets solitary at all, or almost all, nodes of the in-
florescence
7. Rachis internodes 0.2-5 mm long; spikelets usually more
than 3 times the length of the internodes, usually diverg-
ing
8. Plants annual; spikes 0.8-2 cm long
........................................... Eremopyrum
8. Plants perennial; spikes 1.5-15 cm long
............................................ Agropyron
7. Rachis internodes 3-25 mm long; spikelets 1-3 times the
length of the internodes, often appressed or ascending
9. Glumes with 2 prominent keels, each bearing tufts of
hair; not established
............................................ Dasypyrum
9. Glumes usually unkeeled or with 1 keel, never both 2-
keeled and with tufts of hair on the keel
10. Glumes subulate to narrowly lanceolate, stiff, 0-1-
veined at midlength, shorter than the spikelets but
at least one glume more than 5 mm long
11. Lemmas with a conspicuously scabrous awn, the
awns 7-50 mm long, straight
....................................... Secale
11. Lemmas unawned or with a scabridulous awn up to
7 mm long
12. Glumes lanceolate, tapering to an acuminate
tip from near midlength or below, slightly
curved to one side apically; plants
rhizomatous
............................... Pascopyrum
12. Glumes subulate from near the base,
straight; plants cespitose or rhizomatous
................................... Leymus
10. Glumes usually ovate, rectangular, or lanceolate,
if subulate, both glumes less than 5 mm or more
than 18 mm long
13. Glumes flexible, acute to awned or subulate
throughout
14. Spikelets distant, scarcely reaching the
base of the spikelet immediately above;
anthers 4-8 mm long; plants cespitose or
shortly rhizomatous
.......................... Pseudoroegneria
14. Spikelets more closely spaced, usually
reaching at least midlength of the spikelet
immediately above; anthers 0.5-7 mm long;
plants cespitose or rhizomatous
................................... Elymus
13. Glumes usually stiff, truncate or obtuse,
sometimes awned or with short, thick, lateral
teeth
15. Plants perennial; glumes sometimes
mucronate but never awned or with lateral
teeth
............................... Thinopyrum
15. Plants annual; glumes often with lateral
veins or awns, the midvein smooth
throughout
16. Glumes rounded
............................. Aegilops
16. Glumes keeled
............................. Triticum
PACIFIC FORESTRY CENTRE, VICTORIA, B.C.: HERBARIUM WEB PAGE
From: "Callan, Brenda" <bcallan@PFC.Forestry.CA>
Thanks to the computer expertise of Dr. Alan Thomson, and co-op
student Jonathan Bahl, (and about five years of data entry by
various people) our herbarium databases are now accessible on
our web page:
http://www.pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/biodiversity/herbarium/
Included here are two databases of interest:
1) BC Host-Fungus Index
The BC Host-Fungus Index was compiled from 60 years of Canadian
Forest Service records, augmented from published literature
records and data generously provided by Agriculture/Agrifood
Canada. The Host-Fungus Index has been designed to assist in the
identification and formal documentation of fungi occurring on
native plants in the province of British Columbia, with the
exception of most agricultural crops and horticultural ornamen-
tal (non-native) plant species. The Index contains records of
3481 fungus species on 1710 different plant hosts. Over 4690 of
these records are verified by herbarium specimens curated at the
Pacific Forestry Centre.
2) Herbarium Accession Database
The Herbarium Voucher Specimen database documents records of
over 20,000 specimens housed in DAVFP, the Forest Pathology
Herbarium at the Pacific Forestry Centre.
The Forest Pathology Herbarium at the Canadian Forest Service's
Pacific Forestry Centre is an internationally recognized collec-
tion of over 35,300 preserved and catalogued forest fungi and
disease specimens, representing over 3,000 different fungal
species. Its abbreviation in the Index Herbariorum, a catalogue
of the world's herbaria, is DAVFP (Department of Agriculture,
Victoria, Forest Pathology). DAVFP, as illustrated by its very
name, has existed through a number of departmental changes,
growing, but maintaining its continuity over 50 years. The
majority of DAVFP collections were made by rangers and research
scientists affiliated with the now defunct Canadian Forest
Service Forest Insect and Disease Survey over 40 years of
regular monitoring for forest pests throughout the Pacific and
Yukon Region. The Pacific Forestry Centre still maintains a
strong commitment to maintain and expand the current collec-
tions, with greater emphasis on fungal biodiversity research.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF VASCULAR PLANTS OF NORTHEASTERN US & CANADA
Illustrated companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual:
Illustrations of the vascular plants of northeastern United
States and adjacent Canada. Edited by N.H. Holmgren & col-
laborators. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY. xvi+937 p.
1998 ISBN 0-89327-399-6 [hardcover] Price: US$125.00
Ordering information:
The New York Botanical Garden Press, 200th Street & Southern
Blvd., Bronx, NY 10458-5126; Fax: (718)817-8842; To place
telephone orders, call: (718) 817-8721. If you have ordered
from NYBG in the past and have your current credit card
number & expiration date on file (MasterCard & VISA only),
you may send orders via e-mail to scipubs@nybg.org (Do not
send credit card numbers via e-mail!)
See also NYBG Scientific Publications Department Catalogue:
http://www.nybg.org/bsci/spub/catl/CATAL2.html#NAF
This is a beautiful book of line drawings of about 4,400 vas-
cular plant species growing in the northeastern United States
and adjacent Canada. This book accentuates the artistic beauty
of perfect botanical illustrations and for people not interested
in botany this is a great collection of botanical art. For
botanists, this is the most useful aid in identification of
plants of northeastern United States, a powerful companion to
Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. This is a great book and the
MUST for everybody who is interested in North American plants or
in the art of botanical illustration.
Drawings in this book were selected from the original drawings
for the "New Britton and Brown Illustrated Flora" to which more
than 300 species illustrations were added. Each species is
illustrated with a general view (habit, flowering or fruiting
twig, etc.) and drawings of important details are attached
whenever they can help with the identification.
The price of this book is high, but it is fair when you consider
the high quality of the paper and the print. The book makes a
perfect gift, and even if you cannot find a donor, you can give
it to yourself. My only complaint is with the title of the book.
It is too dry for this apotheosis of the beauty of plants.
RE: BEN 196 - ALNUS RUBRA HYBRIDIZATION
From: Jim Pojar <Jim.Pojar@gems3.gov.bc.ca>
If anyone ever wants to pursue further the hybridization between
Alnus rubra and A. tenuifolia, the Skeena River valley between
Terrace and Hazelton should be investigated. Alder hybrids
appear to be common, much as the classic swarm of Picea. It
would make a good M.Sc. topic.
IN MEMORIAM
From Adolf Ceska <aceska@victoria.tc.ca>
My favourite Czech poet, Miroslav Holub, died July 14, 1998, at
the age of 75. He was a poet and essayist and in his civil life
he was a scientist - immunologist. His literary work was trans-
lated into many languages (39, I read somewhere) and you can
find him on shelves of larger libraries. Some of his poems and
essays are on various web sites (in English). You may enjoy
browsing through his works. Do avoid his "Immunology of nude
mouse" unless you are indeed interested in immunology.
Miroslav Holub: The corporal who killed Archimedes
With a well-aimed blow
he killed the circle, the tangent,
and the point of intersection
in infinity.
Under the penalty
of quartering
he outlawed all numbers
higher than three.
And now in Syracuse
he commands a school of philosophers,
through two millenniums
he sits astride a halberd
and writes:
one two
one two
one two
one two
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Submissions, subscriptions, etc.: aceska@victoria.tc.ca
BEN is archived at http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/
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