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Alopecurus pratensis L.Poaceae (Grass Family)EuropeMeadow Foxtail |
May Photo
Plant Characteristics: Perennial,
tufted; culms 30-80 cm. tall; lf. ligule 4.5-6 mm. long; blade 8-11 cm., 3.5-6
mm. wide; the panicles +/- 7 cm. long, 7 mm. wide which resemble those of
timothy but the lemmas have protruding bent awns which are attached near their
base and exceed the lemma body by 3-4 mm., the spikelets fall off at a touch
when ripe; glumes 4.5-5.5 mm., this genus is one of the very few having united
glumes, the glumes are ciliate on the keel.
Habitat:
Sometimes cultivated as a forage grass in the northern states and found
growing wild in meadows and waste ground. May-June.
(Pohl 88). This species is
not listed in Munz, Flora So. Calif.,
it is shown on the map in Phol's How To
Know The Grasses as occurring in the northern states, coast to coast. (my comment).
Name:
Greek, alopex, fox, and oura, tail, referring to the cylindrical panicle.
(Munz, Flora So. Calif. 944).
Latin, pratum, meadow.
Pratensis, of or from meadows.
(John Johnson).
General:
Rare in the study area having been found only once and this at the end of
Constellation Dr. which is the beginning of the 23rd St. study area.
(my comment). All the species of Alopecurus
are all palatable and nutritious forage grasses, but usually are not found in
sufficient abundance to be of great importance. A. pratensis,
meadow foxtail, is sometimes used as a meadow grass in the eastern United
States. About
25 spp. of temp. N. Hemis. (Munz, Flora
So. Calif. 944).
Cultivated for forage. (Hickman,
Ed. 1232).
Text Ref:
Hickman, Ed. 1232; Munz, Flora So.
Calif. 944; Pohl 88.
Photo Ref:
May 1 88 # 13,14,15.
Identity: by John Johnson.
Computer Ref: Plant Data 360.
Have plant specimen.
Last edit 4/8/03.
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May Photo