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Home , Alisma gramineum, Alisma triviale, Iris missouriensis, Juncaginaceae, Najas guadalupensis, Sagittaria cuneata

AN ILLUSTRATED KEY TO MISCELLANEOUS MONOCOT FAMILIES IN ALBERTA

ACORACEAE /

Compiled and writen by Linda Kershaw & Lorna Allen

April 2019

© Linda J. Kershaw & Lorna Allen This key was compiled using informaton primarily from Moss (1983), Packer & Gould (2018), Douglas et. al. (2001) and the Flora of (2008-2010). follows VASCAN (Brouillet, 2015). Please let us know if there are ways in which the keys can be improved. The families are arranged alphabetcally. The 2017 S-ranks of rare (S1; S1S2; S2; S2S3; SU, according to ACIMS, 2017) are noted in superscript (S1;S2;SU) afer the species names. For more details go to the ACIMS web site. If naturalized, exotc orchids are discovered in Alberta, their names would be followed by a superscript X, XX if noxious and XXX if prohibited noxious (X; XX; XXX) in the Alberta Weed Control Act. ALISMATACEAE Waterplantain Family Key to Genera 01a Emersed egg-shaped to lance-shaped; submersed leaves ribbon-like or absent; 6(9); fowers/ in a single ring (whorl) on a small, fat stem tip (receptacle) ...... 01a Emersed leaves arrowhead-shaped; submersed leaves without blades (usually) or arrowhead-shaped; stamens 7-25; fowers/ fruits spirally arranged on a large, convex receptacle ...... ------

ALISMA Waterplantain 01a Leaves oval-lance-shaped (emergent) or strap-like (submersed); fower clusters usually shorter than the leaves, often with branches bent back/down; style ≤ ovary length; anthers egg-shaped to rounded; stamens ± as long as the ovaries ...... Alisma gramineum 01b Leaves egg-shaped to oval (all emergent); fower clusters taller than the leaves, with branches angled upwards; style ≥ ovary 1a length; anthers football-shaped; stamens 2X as long as the ovaries ...... Alisma triviale ...... [Alisma plantago-aquatica] 1b

------

→ SAGITTARIA Arrowhead 01a Achene beak (→) erect or incurved, 0.1-0.4 mm long; achenes egg-shaped, with a keel on the lower/outer side, 1.8-2.6 x 1.3-2.5 mm; leaves emersed, foating and submersed; emersed blades heart- to arrowhead-shaped (rarely narrower) with basal lobes shorter than the upper section, 2.5-17 x 1.5-11 cm ...... Sagittaria cuneata → 01b Achene beak (→) horizontal, pointing inward, 1-2 mm long; achenes lance-shaped, without a keel on the lower/outer side, 2.5-3.5 x ≤2 mm; leaves all emersed; blades arrowhead-shaped (rarely narrower) with basal lobes equalling or 1a shorter than the upper section, 1.5-30 x 2-17 1b cm ......

3 ARACEAE Arum Family [includes Lemnaceae]

Key to Genera 01a 10-20 cm tall with well-developed stems and leaves; leaves egg- to heart-shaped, 5-12 x 4-11 cm; fowers and fruits in a dense, 1-3 cm spike (spadix) above a white, 3-6(8) cm long, -like (spathe) . Calla palustris 01b Plants tiny, 1-10 mm wide, fattened, ± disc- shaped or lobed, without stems and leaves; 1a rarely fowering ...... 02 02a Plants without veins, 0.5-1.5 mm long, without roots ...... Wolffa 02b Plants veined, ≥2 mm long, with ≥1 root(s) . .3 2a 03a Roots 7-21; plants ± circular, 3-8 mm wide, reddish beneath, 7- to 16-veined ...... Spirodela polyrhiza 03b Roots single; plants 3-lobed or egg-shaped to ± circular, if rounded then 1-4 mm wide, green or reddish beneath, 1- to 5-veined ... Lemna 3a

------LEMNA Duckweed 01a Plants oblong to lance-shaped, 6-10(12) mm long, stalked, in zig-zag chains or ± 3-lobed clumps, mostly submersed, often in large colonies...... Lemna trisulca 01b Plants egg-shaped to ± circular, 1-4 mm long, without stalks, foating singly or in small rosettes, often coating the water surface ...... Lemna turionifera [Lemna minor]

1a 1b

------ Watermeal 01a Plants boat-shaped (oval to egg-shaped with 1a upcurved, pointed tips), 0.3-1X as deep as wide, 1.3-2X as long as wide ...... Wolffa borealis 01b Plants ± spherical, blunt-tipped, 1-1.5X as deep as wide, 1-1.3X as long as wide; Dry 1b Mixedwood and Central Parkland in the Edmonton area ..... Wolffa columbiana S2

4 HYDROCHARITACEAE Frogbit Family [includes Najadaceae]

Key to Genera 01a Leaves ± paired, mostly 2 or 4/joint, with expanded bases clasping the stem; sepals and petals absent ...... 01b Leaves in rings of 3-8 (some 2/joint in Elodea bifoliata), without expanded bases; sepals and petals present ...... 02 2b 02a Leaves with prickles on the lower/outer side of the midvein; leaf-axil scales fringed with orange-brown hairs; not yet in AB in 2017, but a noxious weed spreading rapidly in the US 2a and considered a signifcant threat ...... Hydrilla verticillata X 02b Leaves without prickles on the midvein; leaf- axil scales smooth edged ...... Elodea ------

ELODEA Waterweed 01a Upper leaves paired, 10-20 mm long; ♂ fower- heads 10-42 mm long ....Elodea bifoliata S2 ...... [Elodea longivaginata] 01b Upper leaves in rings (whorls) of 3-4, 4-15 mm long; ♂ fowerheads 2-13 mm long ...... 02 2a 02a Leaves 0.3-1.5(1.7) mm wide, tapered to a slender point; ♂ fowerheads 2-4 mm long; styles 1-2 mm ...... Elodea nuttallii X 02b Leaves (1.1)1.5-5 mm wide, broadly pointed to blunt tipped; ♂ fowerheads 8-13 mm long; 2b 1a styles usually 2.3-4 mm .Elodea canadensis S2 ------

NAJAS Naiad 01a Leaves (10)15-35 mm long, the dilated base 2-3 mm wide; glossy, smooth (sometimes with tiny dots), egg-shaped, deep brown to yellow; anthers 1- chambered ...... Najas fexilis 01b Leaves 5-15 mm long, the dilated base 1-2 mm wide; seeds dull, pitted, spindle-shaped, yellowish white to greenish, reddish brown or 1a purplish; anthers 1- or 4-chambered...... Najas guadalupensis S1

1b

5 IRIDACEAE Family

1a 1b Key to Genera 01a Leaves 5-10 mm wide; fowers ±6 cm long; ------sepals and petals different ...... Iris 01b Leaves 1-4 mm wide; fowers ±1 cm long; sepals and petals similar ....

IRIS Iris 01a mainly blue and white, 1-3/stalk; stems 20-50(60) cm tall; leaves 20-50 x 0.5-1 cm; swAB ...... Iris missouriensis S2 01b Flowers mainly yellow, 3-10/stalk; stems 50- 100+ cm tall; leaves 40-90 x 1-3 cm ...... 1a 1b ...... Iris pseudacorus XXX ------

SISYRINCHIUM Blue-eyed-grass 01a Leaves 1-4 mm wide; fowers dark bluish violet (rarely white); outer 9-14 mm long, notched at the bristle-tip; fower stalks mostly longer than the inner bract; fairly common throughout AB ....Sisyrinchium montanum 01b Leaves 1-2 mm wide; fowers pale blue to whitish; outer tepals 8-9 mm long, rounded at the bristle-tip; fower stalks mostly shorter than the inner bract; uncommon in sAB ...... Sisyrinchium septentrionale 1a 1b

6 2a JUNCAGINACEAE Arrowgrass Family

TRIGLOCHIN Arrowgrass 01a Plants annual, with fbrous roots; fower clusters of 2 types (#1) ♂ and/or ♀ fower intermixed in stalked, spike-like clusters 1-4 cm long (mostly) and (#2) single, stalkless ♀ fowers with styles (→) up to 30 cm long, → hidden in basal leaf sheaths; fowers mostly ♂ or ♀ (unisexual), with 0-1 , 0-1 anther and/or 0-1 .... scilloides ...... [] 01b Plants perennial, with spreading rhizomes; fower clusters elongating, spike-like 6-30(45) 2b cm long; fowers ♂+♀ (bisexual), with 6 tepals, 4 or 6 stamens + 3 or 6 feathery stigmas . .02

02a Fruits oblong to ± spherical, 2-4.5 x 1.5-2 mm, rounded at the base; stigmas/seeds 6 ...... 1a 02b Fruits narrowly club-shaped, 7-8 x 0.8-1.2 mm, tapered to the base; stigmas/seeds 3 ......

7 1a TYPHACEAE [includes Sparganiaceae] Cattail Family 01a Flowers in cylindrical heads >10 cm long (cattails); leaves all stiffy emergent, fat on both sides; foating leaves absent...... latifolia 01b Flowers in spherical heads <3 cm long; leaves emergent, foating and submerged; emergent leaves often keeled (sometimes only weakly so on the lower/outer side); foating leaves typically long and ribbon-like. . .

SPARGANIUM Burreed 01a Stigmas 2; mature achenes broadly pyramid- shaped, widest and squared at the tip, tapered to a narrow base; plants emergent, 50-150 cm tall; fruiting heads (1.5)2-3(5) cm ...... 01b Stigmas 1; mature achenes football-shaped; plants usually with emergent, foating and submerged parts, mostly <50 cm tall; fruiting heads (0.5)1-2(3.5) cm ...... 02 02a Achene beak 0-1.5 mm long; ♂ heads solitary ------...... 03 02b Achene beak 1.5-5 mm long; ♂ heads (1)2-several...... 04 1a 03a Achene beak 0-0.5 mm; ♂ head adjacent to the upper ♀ head; ♀ heads stalkless (the lowest 1 sometimes stalked) in leaf axils; leaves 1-5 mm wide, opaque, often yellowish ...... Sparganium hyperboreum 03b Achene beak 0.5-1.5 mm long; ♂ head separate from the ♀ heads; ♀ heads (at least 1) stalked above the leaf axil; leaves 2-8 mm wide, translucent, mostly dark green ...... 3b [Sparganium minimum] 3a 04a Flowers, fruits and some leaves and stems stiffy erect and emergent; leaves usually strongly keeled ...... 05 04b Flowers, fruits, leaves and stems all limp and foating; leaves usually fat ...... 06

05a ♂ heads 1(2); ♀ heads 1.2-1.6(2) cm wide; achene beak 1.5-2 mm long ...... S1 05b ♂ heads 3-7(10); ♀ heads 1.6-3.5 cm wide; achene beak 2-4.5 mm long ...... 5a ...... .....[, in part]

5b

8 06a Main axis of the fower cluster usually branched at least once; tepals attached near the middle or the stalk; anthers 0.4-0.8 mm long; nAB, Cameron Hills to n shore of Lake Athabasca ..Sparganium fuctuans S1 06b Main axis of the fower cluster unbranched; tepals at the base of the fruit stalk; anthers 1 mm long ...... 07

7a 07a ♂ heads (at least some) separate from others; 6a achene beak 2.5-4.5 mm long, straight or curved; leaves keeled near the base ...... Sparganium emersum .....[Sparganium angustifolium, in part] 07b ♂ heads contiguous, like 1 elongated head; achene beak 1.5-2 mm long, straight; leaves 7b fat ...... Sparganium angustifolium .....[Sparganium angustifolium, in part]

9 References

Alberta Conservation Information Management System (ACIMS). 2017. List of all Vascular Taxa Confrmed for Alberta as recorded in the ACIMS database - July 2017.in A. Parks, editor. ACIMS, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.

Brouillet, L., F. Coursol, S.J. Meades, M. Favreau, M. Anions, P. Bélisle & P. Des- met. 2015. VASCAN, the Database of Vascular Plants of . http:// data.canadensys.net/vascan/

Douglas, G. W., D. Meidinger, and J. Pojar. 2001. Illustrated fora of British Colum- bia. Volume 6 (Acoraceae through Najadaceae). British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria, British Columbia.

Flora North America Editorial Committee. 2008-10. Flora North America website. Oxford University Press. Accessed 2014-2016. www.fna.org.

Gleason, H. A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern and adjacent Canada. 2 edition. The Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.

Hitchcock, C. L., A. Cronquist, M. Ownbey, and J. W. Thompson. 1955-69. Vascular plants of the Pacifc Northwest. University of Press, Seattle, Washington.

Lesica, P. 2012. Manual of Vascular Plants. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas.

Looman, J. and K. F. Best. 1979. Budd’s fora of the Canadian prairie provinces. No. 1662. Canadian Government Publishing Centre, Hull, .

Moss, E. H. 1983. Flora of Alberta. 2nd edition. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, .

Packer, J. G. and A. J. Gould. 2017. Vascular Plants of Alberta Part 1: Ferns, Fern Allies, Gymnosperms, and Monocots. University of Calgary Press, Calgary, Alberta.

Province of Alberta. 2016. Weed Control Act, Offce Consolidation. Alberta Regula- tion 19/2010 with amendments up to and including Alberta Regulation 125/2016. Published by Alberta Queen’s Printer. Accessed on-line at www. qp.alberta.ca..

10 List of Species and Illustration Sources Illus. Scientfc Name Source Acorus americanus H&C Alisma gramineum H&C Alisma triviale H&C Key to Illustration Sources Butomus umbellatus H&C Calla palustris JM BC = Douglas et al (2001), courtesy of the Province of British Columbia Elodea bifoliata H&C Elodea canadensis H&C H&C = Hitchcock, C. L., A. Cronquist, M. Elodea nutallii H&C Ownbey, and J. W. Thompson (1955-69) Hydrilla vertcillata LK JM = John Maywood Iris missouriensis H&C Iris pseudacorus H&C LK = Linda Kershaw Lemna trisulca H&C Lemna turionifera H&C Lilaea scilloides H&C Najas fexilis H&C Najas guadalupensis H&C Ruppia cirrhosa H&C Sagitaria cuneata H&C Sagitaria latfolia H&C Scheuchzeria palustris H&C Sisyrinchium montanum JM Sisyrinchium septentrionale BC Sparganium angustfolium H&C Sparganium emersum H&C Sparganium eurycarpum H&C Sparganium fuctuans BC Sparganium glomeratum LK Sparganium hyperboreum BC Sparganium natans H&C Spirodela polyrhiza H&C Tradescanta occidentalis JM Triglochin maritma H&C Triglochin palustris H&C Typha latfolia H&C Wolfa borealis H&C Wolfa columbiana H&C

11 Index hyperboreum 8 Alisma 3 minimum 8 gramineum 3 natans 8 plantago-aquatica. See Alisma triviale Spirodela triviale 3 polyrhiza 4 Alismataceae 3 Triglochin 7 Araceae 4 maritima 7 Calla palustris 7 palustris 4 scilloides 7 Elodea 5 Typha bifoliata 5 latifolia 8 canadensis 5 Typhaceae 8 longivaginata. See Elodea bifoliata Wolfa 4 nuttallii 5 borealis 4 Hydrilla columbiana 4 verticillata 5 Hydrocharitaceae 5 Iridaceae 6 Iris 6 missouriensis 6 pseudacorus 6 Juncaginaceae 7 Lemna 4 minor. See Lemna turionifera trisulca 4 turionifera 4 Lemnaceae. See Araceae Lilaea scilloides 7. See Triglochin scilloides

Najas 5 fexilis 5 guadalupensis 5 Sagittaria 3 cuneata 3 latifolia 3 Sisyrinchium 6 montanum 6 septentrionale 6 Sparganiaceae. See Typhaceae Sparganium 8 angustifolium 9. See also Sparganium emersum emersum 8, 9 eurycarpum 8 fuctuans 9 glomeratum 8 12