The status of Hordeum brachyantherum in eastern Canada, with related discussions

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Author: Baum, Bernard R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1978
• Subjects: Plant Science; Newfoundland; Canada; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b78-011; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b78-011

Hordeum brachyantherum Nevski (H. boreale Scrib. et Sm.) was thought, hitherto, to be disjunct with its main area in Alaska, the Rockies, and adjacent parts, and of relict nature in Newfoundland and Labrador. This study, using micromorphological characters from the lodicules and epiblasts has revealed that the eastern relict population belongs to a different species, namely H. secalinum Schreb. Since H. brachyantherum is one of the species used as bases for Fernald's "nunatak" hypothesis, the relevance of the findings of this study are discussed with reference to the hypothesis. It is suggested that H. secalinum arrived in Newfoundland and Labrador from its native western Europe by anthropochoric means.