Aquatic leaves and regeneration of last year's staw in the arctic grass, Arctophila fulva

Abstract

Aquatic leaves are reported and described for the grass Arctophila fulva. Re-growth from apparently dead, previous season's straw that had over wintered in the Arctic, is reported. Observations on transplanted material and field observations documented that new shoots grew from the apex, and nodes of previous season's stems. Strong underground rhizomes, and roots developed resulting in propagules able to develop into new plants. The previous season's straw that regenerates is probably detached by animals mid-season, before food reserves in the stems are withdrawn to the rhizomes and roots. Such re-generation of detached straw that has over wintered has not been reported previously for any other grass species.