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Sphenopholis intermedia

(Rydb.) Rydb.

Slender Wedgescale

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.143865
Element CodePMPOA5T060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusSphenopholis
Synonyms
Sphenopholis obtusata var. major(Torr.) K.S. Erdman
Other Common Names
slender wedgescale (EN) Sphénopholis intermédiaire (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
The concept of Sphenopholis intermedia in Flora of North America (2007) and Weakley (draft 2008) is equivalent to S. obtusata var. major of Gleason and Cronquist (1991).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-01-31
Change Date1991-08-08
Edition Date2025-01-31
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Sphenopholis intermedia is a wide-ranging perennial graminoid in a variety of habitats occurring throughout North America north of Mexico. It is considered to be common throughout most of its range. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Sphenopholis intermedia occurs throughout North America north of Mexico from in every state, province, and territory of the contiguous United States and Canada except California, Labrador, and Nunavut (FNA 2007, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). Range extent was estimated to be over 11 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1984 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1984 and 2025, it is estimated that there are well over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Sphenopholis intermedia grows in wet to damp sites, sites that dry out after the growing season, and sites with clay soils that retain moisture in moist nutrient-rich forests, meadows, barrens, and waste places (FNA 2007, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldBarrens
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
South CarolinaS2Yes
New JerseyS4Yes
UtahSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
IndianaS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
North CarolinaS2Yes
WyomingS2Yes
AlaskaS1Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
VermontS4Yes
MarylandSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
OhioS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
MontanaS3Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
IllinoisS3Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
DelawareSUYes
VirginiaS4Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
KansasS3Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
New BrunswickS4Yes
AlbertaS4Yes
Nova ScotiaS4Yes
QuebecS3Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS1Yes
Yukon TerritoryS2Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS2Yes
OntarioS4Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Michigan (1)
AreaForestAcres
FibreHiawatha National Forest7,432
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2007a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. Heidel, B. L. and K. H. Dueholm. 1995. Sensitive plant survey in the Sioux District, Custer National Forest, 1994, Carter County, Montana and Harding County, South Dakota. Unpublished report to the Custer National Forest. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 95 pp. plus appendices.
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.