General: Grass Family (Poaceae). American sloughgrass is a cool season annual or short lived perennial grass that is commonly found in shallow marshes or sloughs. Its shallow root system supports a leafy stem, which may be as tall as one meter. Basal leaves contain cross veins that intersect the longitudinal veins at right angles to form rectangles. American sloughgrass is classified by most flora’s as an annual species. However, Wynia and Boe, (1984) stated that Beckmannia syzigachne had over wintered in several plots and nurseries at Brookings, South Dakota and was at least a short lived perennial depending on use. The branched inflorescence is classified as a closed panicle (Looman, 1983). The spikelets have very short pedicels and are arranged on only one side of the panicle branches (Reeder, 1953). Spikelets disarticulate below the glumes, and are one or two flowered (Wynia and Boe, 1983). Beckmannia syzigachne possesses the C-3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon dioxide fixation (Waller and Lewis, 1979).
Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. American sloughgrass is the North American native of a two species genus that is widespread in the cooler parts of Eurasia and North America. Beckmannia syzigachne is present in marshes and ditches throughout the northwest and north central states and is occasional in the northeast (Gould and Shaw, 1983).
Habitat: In their examination of prairie, meadow and marsh vegetation in Nelson County, North Dakota, Dix and Smeins (1967) studied the drainage regimes of 100 stands selected to represent the vegetative diversity within the county. The drainage regime gradient went from excessively drained to permanent, or near-permanent gravitational water available throughout most summers. Beckmannia syzigachne was noted to occur in the three wettest regimes in combination with other species. Thus Beckmannia syzigachne is known to occur in the presence of gravitational water, either permanently or for extended periods, during the growing season.
