Triglochin gaspensis — Gaspe Peninsula arrow-grass
![Plant form: Triglochin gaspensis. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaginaceae/triglochin-gaspensis-ha-efarnsworth.jpg)
![Flowers and fruits: Triglochin gaspensis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaginaceae/triglochin-gaspensis-ff-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Triglochin gaspensis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaginaceae/triglochin-gaspensis-in-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Leaves and auricles: Triglochin gaspensis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaginaceae/triglochin-gaspensis-la-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Stems and sheaths: Triglochin gaspensis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaginaceae/triglochin-gaspensis-ss-ahaines-d.jpg)
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Facts
Gaspe Peninsula arrow-grass is a restricted endemic species found only in a few sites in extreme northeastern North America, including at least one occurrence in Maine, in a salt marsh with low vegetation. This species can form lawnlike patches, in contrast with the distinct clumps found in the other arrow-grasses (Triglochin).
Habitat
Brackish or salt marshes and flats, marshes, intertidal, subtidal or open ocean
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is round or oval in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 mm
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is elliptic or circular in cross-section
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is a capsule, with at least three seeds in it
- Fruit length
- 3–4 mm
- Leaf position on plant
- the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
- Perianth composition
- the perianth is green or brown, with six sepal-like parts, and a leafy texture
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
-
Flowers
- Floral bristle color
- NA
- Floral bristle number
- NA
- Floral bristle relative length
- NA
- Floral bristles
- NA
- Floral scale hairs
- NA
- Floral scale length
- 0 mm
- Floral scale nerves
- NA
- Inflorescence bract angle
- NA
- Inflorescence bract number
- NA
- Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
- NA
- Inflorescence bracts
- NA
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
- Inflorescence crowding
- the inflorescence is at least somewhat spread out, with at least one branch coming from the main stem
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence shape
- the aggregations within the inflorescence are roughly circular (not flattened) in cross-section
- Inflorescence type
- there is one spike or raceme at the tip of the stem
- Perianth composition
- the perianth is green or brown, with six sepal-like parts, and a leafy texture
- Stamen number
- 4-6
- Stigma number
- 3
- Style division
- NA
- floral bristle barbs
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene beak length
- 0 mm
- Achene surface texture
- NA
- Achene tubercle relative width
- NA
- Achene tubercle width
- 0 mm
- Capsule relative length
- NA
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
- Fruit length
- 3–4 mm
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is a capsule, with at least three seeds in it
- Fruit type (specific)
-
- the fruit is a non-wind-dispersed follicle (has one ovary that splits along one side to release the seeds)
- the fruit is a schizocarp (when dry it splits into sections, each holding one or more seeds)
- Locules in capsule
- NA
- Seed length
- 0 mm
- Seed tail relative length
- 0 mm
- Seed tails
- NA
- Tubercle height
- 0 mm
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Auricle texture
- the auricles are weak, papery and translucent
- Auricles
- the leaf sheath has auricles on it
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is elliptic or circular in cross-section
- Leaf blade length
- 50–200 mm
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 mm
- Leaf form
- all the leaves hold their form out of water
- Leaf position on plant
- the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
- Leaf septa
- the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
- Leaf sheath hairs
- the leaf sheathes are without hairs
- Pedicel length (Typha)
- 0 mm
- Stem leaf blade ligules
- the plant has ligules at the leaf blade bases
- Stem leaf blades
- there are fully-developed leaves with leaf blades on the main stem
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
-
- brackish or salt marshes and flats
- intertidal, subtidal or open ocean
- marshes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 5–20 cm
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is round or oval in cross-section
- Stem texture near tip
- the stem feels smooth near the tip
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- rare (S-rank: S2), special concern (code: SC)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Triglochin gaspensis Lieth & D. Löve NC
Gaspe Peninsula arrow-grass. ME; far-eastern portion of state. Saline marshes with low vegetation. This species is sometimes difficult to separate from small plants of Triglochin maritima. During flowering, the length of stigmatic papillae serves as another useful character in museum settings—mostly 0.09–0.23 mm long (mean=0.16 mm) in T. gaspensis and mostly 0.13–0.37 mm long (mean=0.25 mm) in T. maritima (longest papillae measured in both instances).
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Triglochin maritima:
- leaves usually shorter than the flowering stem, erect, 0.8–1.4 mm wide, and racemes 6–45 cm tall (vs. T. gaspensis, with leaves usually equaling the height of the flowering stem, arching outward from the sheath, 0.5–1 mm wide, and racemes 2–7 cm tall).