PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Bog Bluegrass (Poa paludigena)

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Photo by Barbara Delaney

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Bog Bluegrass (Poa paludigena), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in forested seeps and fens, mostly under hardwoods and alders. Blooming occurs throughout June, fruiting late-June through early-July. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout June.

 
 
 

Bog bluegrass is a graminoid, 2-7dm tall, with culms that are slender, solitary or in small tufts. It has a loose and open panicle, mostly 5-10cm long, the branches are long and slender, distant, the lower are mostly in twos, spikelet-bearing above the middle. Spikelets mostly 4-5mm long, narrow, 2-5-flowered. Lemmas are 2.5-3.5mm long, webbed at base with a few long hairs, the keel and lateral nerves are pubescent on the lower half or two-thirds, the intermediate nerves are glabrous and obscure. Sheaths are minutely scabrous. Ligule is short, truncate, the uppermost as much as 1.5mm long. Blades are rather lax, mostly erect, 0.3-2mm wide.

Can be distinguished from other Poa species by its lemmas, which are pubescent on the margins but glabrous between the inconspicuous veins.

Blooming occurs throughout June, fruiting occurs late-June through early-July.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout June.

Associated species Alnus rugosa, Fraxinus nigra, Betula alleghaniensis, Symplocarpus foetidus, Carex bromoides, C leptalea, C stipata, Caltha palustris, Angelica atropurpurea, Impatiens capensis, Floerkea proserpinacoides, and Tilia americana.

Bog bluegrass prefers moist to wet soils and is found in forested seeps and fens, mostly under hardwoods and alders.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid direct disturbance to sensitive microsites such as seeps, cliffs, and moss-covered boulders.

Follow BMPs, especially around streams and use care near ravines, steep slopes, cliffs, rock outcrops, etc.

Buffer management around unique microhabitats such as ephemeral ponds, seeps, etc.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Avoid rapid and dramatic reductions in canopy cover and, basal area, in wet areas to reduce risk of swamping.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.