FIELD GUIDE

Identification ofCommon Range Plants

of Northern Saskatchewan

Table of ContentsCommon Range Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Grasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Forbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Shrubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Adapted from . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Common Range Plants

1

The Grass Plant Parts

Culm

Node

Blade Blade

Collar

Sheath

Node

Culm

Root

Glume (Flower bract) Glume

Crown

RHIZOMATOUSFIBROUS

Rhizome

Floret

SPIKELETSpikelet is the unit of theflowering head of grasses(see next page for detail)

BladeAuricle

Ligule

AuricleSheath

Types of GrassFlowering Heads

A. SPIKEUnbranched terminal flowering head withspikelets attached directly to the central axis.(Example: Wheatgrasses)

B. COMB-LIKE SPIKESpikelets are arranged on one side like a comb,spikes not necessarily TERMINAL.(Example: Blue grama, side-oats grama)

C. RACEMEUnbranched flowering head with spikelets borne onstalks attached to the central axis.(Example: Bluestems)

D. PANICLEBranched flower head.(Examples: June grass, Blue grasses, Hair grasses)

2

GRASSES

Index to GrassesBluegrasses

Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

BromegrassesFringed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Smooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Wild Rye GrassesHairy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

HairgrassesRough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Tufted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Junegrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

NeedlegrassesGreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Richardson’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Western Porcupine Grass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

OatgrassesHooker’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Intermediate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Purple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

ReedgrassesMarsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Narrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

RicegrassesCanada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Northern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8White grained mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Plains Rough Fescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Slender Wood Grass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sweetgrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

WheatgrassesAwned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Northern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Quackgrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Slender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Western . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Common and Botanical Names of Grasses Included in the Guide

Common Names Botanical NamesAwned wheatgrass Agropyron subsecundumCanada bluegrass Poa compressaCanada rice grass Oryzopsis CanadensisFringed bromegrass Bromus ciliatusGreen needlegrass Stipa viridulaHooker’s oat grass Helictotrichon hookeriHairy wildrye Elymus innovatusIntermediate oat grass Danthonia intermediaJunegrass Koeleria gracilisKentucky bluegrass Poa pratensisMarsh reedgrass Calamagrostis CanadensisNarrow reedgrass Calamagrostis strictaNorthern rice grass Oryzopsis pungensNorthern wheatgrass Agropyron dasystachyumPurple oat grass Schizachne purpurascensPlains rough fescue Festuca halliiQuackgrass Agropyron repensRough hair grass Agrostis scabraRichardson’s needlegrass Stipa richardsoniiSmooth bromegrass Bromus inermisSlender wood grass Cinna latifoliaSlender wheat grass Agropyron trachycaulumSweet grass Hierochloe odorataTufted hair grass Deschampsia caespitosaWestern porcupine grass Stipa curtisetaWestern wheat grass Agropyron smithiiWhite grained mountain rice grass Oryzopis asperifolia

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Common Names Botanical Names PageLindley’s aster Aster lindleyanus 12Spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolia 12Snake root Sanicula marilandica 12Tall meadow rue Thalictrum dasycarpum 12American vetch Vicia Americana 13Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus 13Northern bedstraw Galium boreale 13Tall lungwort (bluebell) Mertensia paniculata 13Western Canada violet Viola rugulosa 14Common blue eyed grass Sisrinchium angustifolium 14Canada goldenrod Solidago Canadensis 14Smooth aster Aster laevis 14Two leaved solomon’s seal Maianthemum canadense 15Star-flowered solomon’s seal Smilacina stellata 15Red baneberry Actaea rubra 15Canada anemone Anemone Canadensis 15Woodland strawberry Fragaria vrsca 16Yellow avens Geum aleppicum 16Three toothed cinquefoil Potentilla tridentate 16Rough cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica 16Cream colored vetchling Lathyrus ochroleucus 17Wild peavine Lathyrus venosus 17Wild sarsaparilla Arilia rudicaulis 17Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium 17Northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla 18Arrow-leaved colt’s foot Petasites sagittatus 18Bunchberry Cornus Canadensis 18Cow parsnip Heracleum lanatum 18

Index of Forbs

FORBSBroad-leaved

Herbaceous Plants

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

ShrubsSee leaf morphology in the

Forbs Section

Common Names Botanical Names PageShrubby cinquefoil Potentilla pruticosa 20Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 20Wood’s rose Rosa woodsii 20Wolfwillow Elaeagnus commutata 20Saskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia 21Chokecherry Prunus virginiana 21Western snowberry Symphoricarpos ocidentalis 21Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum 21Wild black currant Ribes hudsonianum 22Northern goose berry Ribes oxyacanthoides 22Beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta 22Wild red raspberry Rubus idaeus 22Trembling Aspen Populus tremuloides 23Balsam poplar Populus balsamifera 23Red-osier dogwood Cornus stolonifera 23Green alder Alnus crispa 23Dwarf birch Betula glandulosa 24Dewberry Rubus pubescens 24

20

21

22

23

24

Grasses

Common Names Grazing Response Forage ValueAwned wheatgrass Decreaser GoodCanada bluegrass Invader GoodCanada rice grass NA NAFringed bromegrass Decreaser GoodGreen needlegrass Decreaser GoodHooker’s oat grass Decreaser GoodHairy wildrye Increaser FairIntermediate oat grass Increaser FairJunegrass Increaser GoodKentucky bluegrass Invader GoodMarsh reedgrass Decreaser FairNarrow reedgrass Decreaser FairNorthern rice grass Decreaser GoodNorthern wheatgrass Increaser GoodPurple oat grass Increaser FairPlains rough fescue Decreaser GoodQuackgrass Invader FairRough hair grass Invader PoorRichardson’s needlegrass Decreaser NASmooth bromegrass Invader GoodSlender wood grass NA GoodSlender wheat grass Decreaser GoodSweet grass Increaser FairTufted hair grass Decreaser GoodWestern Porcupine grass Increaser GoodWestern wheat grass Increaser GoodWhite grained grass Decreaser Good

Forbs

Common Names Grazing Response Forage ValueAmerican vetch Decreaser GoodArrow-leaved coltsfoot Increaser PoorBunchberry Increaser PoorCanada goldenrod Increaser FairCanada anemone Increaser FairCommon blue eyed grass NA NACow parsnip Decreaser FairCream colored vetchling Decreaser GoodFireweed Increaser FairLindley’s Aster Invader FairNorthern bog violet Increaser FairNorthern bedstraw Increaser FairPhiladelphia fleabane NA FairRed baneberry Increaser FairRough cinquefoil Increaser PoorSmooth aster Increaser NASnake root Increaser FairSpreading dogbane NA PoorStar-flowered solomon’s seal Decreaser GoodTall meadow rue Increaser FairTall lungwort (bluebell) Decreaser GoodThree toothed cinquefoil Increaser PoorTwo leaved solomon’s seal Decreaser GoodWestern Canada violet Increaser FairWild strawberry Increaser PoorWild peavine Decreaser GoodWild sarsparilla Increaser PoorYellow avens Increaser NA

Shrubs

Common Names Grazing Response Forage ValueAspen (saplings) Decreaser GoodBalsam poplar (saplings) Increaser FairBeaked hazelnut Increaser FairBear berry Increaser PoorChokecherry Decreaser FairDewberry Increaser PoorDwarf birch Increaser PoorGreen alder Increaser PoorLabrador tea Increaser PoorNorthern gooseberry Increaser PoorRed-osier dogwood Decreaser GoodSaskatoon Decreaser GoodShrubby cinquefoil Increaser PoorWestern snowberry Increaser PoorWild black currant Increaser PoorWild red raspberry Increaser FairWolf willow Increaser PoorWood’s rose Increaser Fair

NA – Information not available

25

For more information, contact:

the nearest SaskatchewanAgriculture, Food and RuralRevitalization Rural Service Centre

Adapted from:Anonymous, 1990. Managing Saskatchewan Range-

land – New Pastures and GrazingTechnologies Project.

Ehlert, G., 1990. Draft Aspen Mixedwood RangeCondition Score Card and RangeManagement Section, Public lands Division,Northern Region.

AcknowledgementsThe field guide was compiled and edited by Allan Foster,Rangeland and Forage Agrologist, Livestock DevelopmentBranch, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and RuralRevitalization.

Thanks to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for thepermission to copy and use the illustrations in thispublication.

Thanks are due to Gordon Parker (Head, TechnologyTransfer, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada ResearchStation, Swift Current) for his co-operation and forlocating the illustrations.

Funding for the publication of the guide was provided by theCanada - Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food InnovationFund.

26

Sources of Information and FurtherReadings:Carmichael, Lloyd. 1976. Woodland Wildflowers of

Eastern Saskatchewan. SaskatchewanMuseum of Natural History, Regina, Sask.

Carmichael, Lloyd. 1967. Saskatchewan Wildflowers,Western Area. Saskatchewan Museum ofNatural History, Regina, Sask.

Corns, I. G. W. and R. M. Annas. 1986. Field Guideto Forest Ecosystems of West-centralAlberta. Can. For. Serv. For. Cent., Edmonton,Alberta.

Looman, J. 1983. 111 Rangeland Forage Plants of theCanadian Prairies. Research Branch,Agriculture Canada Publication 1751.

Looman, J. and K. F. Best. 1979. Buds Flora of theCanadian Prairies. Research Branch,Agriculture Canada publication 1662.

Moss, E. H. 1977. Flora of Alberta. University ofToronto Press.

Vance, F. R., J. R. Jowsey and J. S. McLean, 1991.Wildflowers Across the Prairies. WesternProducer Books. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.