BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Calamagrostis montanensis | Plains Reedgrass 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Plains reedgrass is a native, cool-season, perennial grass [8,12,22,24].
The culms grow from 6 to 16 inches (15-40 cm) tall [16,17,22,24].  The
mostly basal leaves have smooth sheaths and strongly rolled blades [22].
The rhizomes are slender with short paperish leaves at each node.  Roots
arise from the nodes and are similar to the rhizomes in thickness.
Maximum root-depth ranges from 3.28 to 4.92 feet (1-1.5 m) [8].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Chamaephyte
   Cryptophyte (Geophyte)


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Plains reedgrass regenerates sexually, and vegetatively through rhizomes
[23].  Specific information on seed dispersal and viability is lacking.


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Plains reedgrass occurs on plains and dry open areas of grasslands,
sagebrush benchlands, and foothills from 4,800 to 8,500 feet
(1,463-2,591 m) in elevation [9,16,17,18,21].  It grows in sandy loams,
loams, clay loams, and clayey soils [9,19].

Climate:  In areas where plains reedgrass commonly occurs, moisture is
usually available early in the growing season but later becomes limited.
Summers are marked by high temperatures and low humidity creating a dry
climate.  In winter, snowfall is considerable and temperatures may drop
to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 deg C) [27].

Plant associates:  Plains reedgrass is commonly associated with the
following species:  needle-and-thread (Stipa comata), green needlegrass
(S. viridula), blue grama, prairie junegrass (Koeleria cristata),
bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), rough fescue (Festuca
scrubrella), Idaho fescue (F. idahoensis), and threetip sagebrush
(Artemisia tripartita) [3,4,7,25,27].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Plains reedgrass is an early seral to climax species.  It increases
following disturbance and commonly persists for several years.  On some
grazed ranges, plains reedgrass maintains subdominance with other
shortgrass species [4].  This grass also occurs in mixed prairie climax
communities dominated by Agropyron and Stipa spp. [7].  Plains reedgrass
abundance on sandy soils is generally an indicator of late seral stages [7].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Plains reedgrass growth begins in early April followed by the initiation
of fruiting stalks in late May [12].  Flowering generally begins in late
June to July and ends in August [9,12].  Seeds mature in late July and
are shed in mid-August [12].

Related categories for Species: Calamagrostis montanensis | Plains Reedgrass