An observational study on the hybrid grass xCalammophila don-hensonii.

Abstract

As part of a continuing research project begun in the summer of 1996, this report deals with the hybrid grass XCalammophila don-hensonii. This grass, commonly being called Henson's beach grass, was codiscovered by Don Henson in 1991 in Alger County, Michigan. It is a hybrid of the species Beach Grass, Ammophila breviligulata and Bluejoint Grass, Calamagrostis canadensis. While this is the first discovery of a hybrid species between A. breviligulata and C. canadensis in the New World, hybridization between similar species of the two genera occurs commonly in northern Europe. The nature of this project was based primarily on observations made on July 31 through August 3, 1996, and July 28 and 29, 1997 with a group from the Michigan Natural Areas Council. MNAC received a grant to recommend monitoring programs on the island managed by the US Forest Service. One of the areas the group worked on was William's Landing, where the hybrid is found. Due to its relatively recent discovery, only one paper has been published on the hybrid and is the sole reference for all the technical characteristics used in this report. In this report, I intend to describe the hybrid and its parents as known from the site on Grand Island, Michigan.