Zoe Yurman - Colourful Plants
Foxtail Bristlegrass or Yellow Foxtail is a yellow-ish, bristled plant that belongs to the widespread genus of grass plants called Setaria. Plants in this genus are present all over Canada because of their ability to adapt to a variety of environments: well and poorly drained soil, high and low temperatures, etc. The bristles present on the grasses in this genus were adapted to protect the fruits contained inside from predation as well as assist in the dispersal of seeds. As stated in "THE BIOLOGY OF CANADIAN WEEDS" by Marion G. Steel, plants in this genus are "well-adapted to dispersal by animals" as the "fruiting panicle" of the plant "attaches itself to the fur of passing animals" by means of the bristles, allowing the seeds to be distributed easily. (https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjps83-088)
The Greater Montreal Area has a humid continental climate, meaning that it experiences short, humid summers and harsh winters. Plants in this area depend on their ability to adapt to different climate conditions in order to survive. Perennial plants in places that experience colder temperatures harden themselves for the winter by becoming completely dormant in the months leading up to it, where days are shorter and colder. Water is released from inside cells into the intercellular space in an effort to prevent freezing and exploding. If it becomes cold more early in the year than expected, or it is colder than expected, water will not be pushed out of the protoplasm, and the plant could lose branches or die. Additionally, if the winter comes far later than expected, the plant will have already prepared to survive the cold and the adaptations made may end up being detrimental to the plant in warmer temperatures (https://floral.ca/en/plants-adapt-environment/).
