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Current Nomenclature of Plant Species Used in Conservation Activities in Montana and Wyoming

Plant Materials Technical Note Number MT-41

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Plant Materials Technical Note Number MT-41 (PDF; 70 KB)

February 2002.

Introduction

The following information provides current nomenclature for numerous plant species used in conservation practices in Montana and Wyoming. Accepted common names, current scientific names, as well as previous scientific names are provided. In some cases, multiple varieties (var.) or subspecies (ssp.) exist that may or may not be included. All previous scientific names are not listed. Updated scientific names may reflect taxonomic revisions, the identification of new species, spelling changes, or other factors. Verification of nomenclature has been made through the USDA-NRCS Plant List of Accepted Nomenclature, Taxonomy, and Symbols (PLANTS). It is recommended that verification of plant names be made periodically by accessing PLANTS on-line.

Table 1. Grass and Grass-Like Species
Common Name	Current Scientific Name	Previous Scientific Name
Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides	Oryzopsis hymenoides
Nelson’s needlegrass (invalid)¹	not applicable	Stipa nelsonii Stipa nelsonii ssp. nelsonii
Dore's needlegrass	Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei	Stipa columbiana Stipa nelsonii ssp. dorei Stipa nelsonii var. dorei Stipa occidentalis var. minor
Columbia needlegrass	Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. nelsonii	Stipa columbiana var. nelsonii Stipa nelsonii Stipa occidentalis var. nelsonii
western needlegrass	Achnatherum occidentale	Stipa occidentalis
Richardson's needlegrass	Achnatherum richardsonii	Stipa richardsonii
Siberian wheatgrass	Agropyron fragile	Agropyron cristatum ssp. fragile Agropyron cristatum var. fragile Agropyron fragile ssp. sibiricum Agropyron fragile var. sibiricum Agropyron sibiricum
redtop	Agrostis gigantea	Agrostis alba
tufted hairgrass	Deschampsia cespitosa	Deschampsia caespitosa
Montana wheatgrass	Elymus albicans	Elymus albicans var. griffithii Elytrigia dasystachya ssp. albicans Elymus lanceolatus ssp. albicans
bearded wheatgrass	Elymus caninus	Agropyron caninum
bottlebrush squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	Sitanion hystrix
thickspike wheatgrass²	see streambank wheatgrass	-
streambank wheatgrass	Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus	Agropyron dasystachyum Agropyron dasystachyum var. riparum Agropyron elmeri Agropyron riparium Agropyron riparum Elymus lanceolatus var. riparius Elytrigia dasystachya
slender wheatgrass	Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus	Agropyron trachycaulum
rough fescue	Festuca campestris	Festuca scabrella
hard fescue	Festuca trachyphylla	Festuca duriuscula Festuca longifolia Festuca ovina var. duriuscula
needle and thread	Hesperostipa comata	Stipa comata
prairie Junegrass	Koeleria macrantha	Koeleria cristata
Altai wildrye	Leymus angustus	Elymus angustus
basin wildrye	Leymus cinereus	Elymus cinereus
mammoth wildrye	Leymus racemosus	Elymus giganteus
beardless wildrye	Leymus triticoides	Elymus triticoides
tall fescue	Lolium arundinaceum	Festuca arundinacea
Hitchcock's smooth woodrush	Luzula glabrata var. hitchcockii	Luzula hitchcockii
green needlegrass	Nassella viridula	stipa viridula
western wheatgrass	Pascopyrum smithii	Agropyron smithii
inland bluegrass	Poa nemoralis ssp. interior	Poa interior
Sandberg bluegrass	Poa secunda	Poa ampla (big bluegrass) Poa canbyi (Canby bluegrass) Poa gracillima (Pacific bluegrass) Poa juncifolia (alkali bluegrass) Poa nevadensis (Nevada bluegrass) Poa sandbergii (Sandberg bluegrass)
Russian wildrye	Psathyrostachys juncea	Elymus junceus
bluebunch wheatgrass	Pseudoroegneria spicata	Agropyron spicatum, Elymus spicata
beardless wheatgrass	Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. inermis	Agropyron inerme Agropyron spicatum var. inerme
little bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium	Andropogon scoparius
tall wheatgrass	Thinopyrum ponticum	Agropyron elongatum Elymus elongatus Elytrigia elongata
pubescent wheatgrass (invalid)	see intermediate wheatgrass	-
intermediate wheatgrass	Thinopyrum intermedium	Agropyron intermedium Agropyron trichophorum Elymus hispidus Elytrigia intermedia
Rocky Mountain trisetum	Trisetum montanum var. montanum	Trisetum spicatum ssp. montanum
mountain hairgrass	Vahlodea atropurpurea	Deschampsia atropurpurea

¹ The common name Nelson’s needlegrass is no longer valid. Species previously called Nelson’s needlegrass are now grouped with either Dore’s needlegrass or Columbia needlegrass.

² The common name “thickspike wheatgrass” no longer applies to the cultivar ‘Critana’, which is now aligned under streambank wheatgrass. The current common name “thickspike wheatgrass” is assigned to Elymus macrourus (formerly Agropyron dasystachyum var. serceum; Agropyron macrourum; Triticum macrourum), a native to Alaska.

Table 2. Forb (Wildflower) Species
Common Name	Current Scientific Name	Previous Scientific Name
Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides	Oryzopsis hymenoides
western yarrow	Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis	Achillea lanulosa
silverweed cinquefoil	Argentina anserina	Potentilla anserina
thymeleaf sandmat	Chamaesyce serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia	Euphorbia serpyllifolia
fireweed	Chamerion angustifolium	Epilobium angustifolium
slender white prairieclover	Dalea candida	Petalostemon candidus
purple prairieclover	Dalea purpurea	Petalostemon purpureus
pimpernel willowherb	Epilobium anagallidifolium	Epilobium alpinum
Engelmann’s aster	Eucephalus engelmannii	Aster engelmannii
eastern showy aster	Eurybia conspicua	Aster conspicuus
thickstem aster	Eurybia integrifolia	Aster integrifolius
subalpine aster	Eurybia merita	Aster sibiricus var. meritus (and other varieties)
arctic aster	Eurybia sibirica	Aster sibiricus
western sweetvetch	Hedysarum occidentale var. occidentale	Hedysarum uintahense
stiff sunflower	Helianthus pauciflorus ssp. pauciflorus	Helianthus rigidus
showy goldeneye	Heliomeris multiflora var. multiflora	Viquiera multiflora
common cowparsnip	Heracleum maximum	Heracleum lanatum
hairy false goldenaster	Heterotheca villosa var. villosa	Chrysopsis villosa
starry false lily of the valley	Maianthemum stellatum	Smilacina stellata
twinflower sandwort	Minuartia obtusiloba	Arenaria obtusiloba
sainfoin	Onobrychis viciifolia	Onobrychis viciaefolia
dwarf arctic ragwort	Packera cymbalaria	Senecio cymbalaria
white pasqueflower	Pulsatilla occidentalis	Anemone occidentalis
cutleaf anemone	Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida	Anemone multifida
salebrosa goldenrod	Solidago canadensis var. salebrosa	Solidago elongata
Pacific aster	Symphyotrichum chilense (varieties)	Aster chilensis
smooth blue aster	Symphyotrichum laeve	Aster laevis
western mountain aster	Symphyotrichum spathulatum var. spathulatum	Aster occidentalis

Table 3. Tree and Shrub Species
Common Name	Current Scientific Name	Previous Scientific Name
Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides	Oryzopsis hymenoides
redosier dogwood	Cornus sericea ssp. sericea	Cornus stolonifera
whitestem goldenbush	Ericameria discoidea	Haplopappus macronema
rubber rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa	Chrysothamnus nauseosus
stretchberry	Forestiera pubescens var. pubescens	Forestiera neomexicana
winterfat	Krascheninnikovia lanata	Ceratoides lanata, Eurotia lanata
Oregongrape	Mahonia repens	Berberis repens
shrubby cinquefoil	Dasiphora floribunda	Pentaphylloides floribunda, Potentilla fruticosa
plains cottonwood	Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera	Populus deltoides var. occidentalis, Populus monilifera, Populus occidentalis, Populus sargentii
western sandcherry	Prunus pumila var. besseyi	Prunus besseyi
thinleaf huckleberry	Vaccinium membranaceum	Vaccinium globulare

References

Plant List of Accepted Nomenclature, Taxonomy, and Symbols (PLANTS)

If you have any questions, please contact:

Jim Jacobs, Plant Materials Specialist
Phone: (406) 587-6995
Email: Jim.Jacobs

Ronald Nadwornick, State Resource Conservationist
Phone: (406) 587-6998
Email: Ron.Nadwornick

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Last Modified: 06/24/2008