Eriophorum brachyantherum Trautv. & C.A. Mey.

Gillespie, Lynn J., Saarela, Jeffery M., Sokoloff, Paul C. & Bull, Roger D., 2015, New vascular plant records for the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, PhytoKeys 52, pp. 23-79 : 28-30

Eriophorum brachyantherum Trautv. & C.A. Mey. Fig. 3

Common name.

Short-anther cottongrass

Distribution.

Circumboreal-polar

Comments.

This is the first report of the species from the western CAA, where we collected it at several sites in the Minto Inlet area of Victoria Island, Northwest Ter ritories. These collections represent a major northeastern range extension of some 350 km from the nearest location on mainland Northwest Territories (Paulatuk; Saarela et al. 2013a) and a north-northeastern extension of some 380 km from the next closest mainland site (Kugluktuk) ( Porsild and Cody 1980). It is known from the eastern CAA (one collection on eastern Baffin Island and two on Southampton Island; Porsild and Cody 1980, Aiken et al. 2007). The species was locally common at numerous sites growing in wet sedge meadows, associated with Arctagrostis latifolia (R. Br.) Griseb. subsp. latifolia , Carex membranacea Hook., Carex aquatilis var. minor Boott, Carex fuliginosa subsp. misandra (R. Br.) Nyman, Carex scirpoidea Michx., Elymus alaskanus (Scribn. & Merr.) Á. Löve, Eriophorum angustifolium Honck., Eriophorum triste (Th. Fr.) Hadač & Á. Löve, Juncus triglumis var. albescens Lange, Juncus biglumis L., Oxyria digyna (L.) Hill, and Salix reticulata L. Eriophorum brachyantherum is a cespitose, non-tussock forming species easily distinguished from other cespitose Eriophorum species by its tall culms ( Ball and Wujek 2002).

Specimens examined.

Canada. Northwest Territories: Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, 8 km NE of Minto Inlet in valley at small river that feeds into head of inlet, 71°37'9.8"N, 115°26'21.5"W, 100 m, 7 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 9485 (ALA, CAN-598595, MT, O); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, N side of small round lake (ca. 1 km diameter), ca. 4 km N of Boot Inlet on N side of Minto Inlet, 71°30'50.8"N, 117°21'43.6"W, 72 m, 11 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 9673 (ALA, CAN-598605, MT, O); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, shore E of "Fish Lake" on lower Kuujjua River, 71°12'7.7"N, 116°24'2.7"W, 57 m, 16 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 9899 (ALA, CAN-598607, MT, O); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, shore E of "Fish Lake" on lower Kuujjua River, 71°12'7.7"N, 116°24'2.7"W, 57 m, 18 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 9982 (CAN-598924); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, valley downstream from the junction of three rivers 6 km NE of head of Minto Inlet, 71°36'31.7"N, 115°27'23"W, 134 m, 21 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 10091 (CAN-598596); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, wet sedge meadow on flat to gently sloping plateau E of junction of three rivers 6 km NE of head of Minto Inlet, 71°36'22.8"N, 115°26'30.9"W, 154 m, 21 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 10102 (ALA, ALTA, ARI, CAN-598910, MT, O, UBC, WIN, US); Inuvik Region, Victoria Island, 8 km NE of Minto Inlet in valley at small river that feeds into head of inlet, 71°37'16.6"N, 115°25'58.7"W, 164 m, 26 July 2010, Gillespie, Saarela, Doubt, Bull & Sokoloff 10305 (ALA, ARI, CAN-598598, MT, O, UBC, WIN).