Cynosurus cristatus L.

Graminae

Synonyms

Common names

Crested dog's tail (English), Crételle (French), Wiesen kammgras (German).

Description

Perennial plant, small size, hairless, cespitous. Stems erect, 20 - 70 (- 90) cm high. Blade folded when young but can also be rolled during elongation. Blade narrow (1 - 3 mm), with well marked veins, shiny on the lower face. Ligule short (2 mm maximum), truncate. No auricles. Sheath of the inferior leaves pale yellow or brown yellow (purple red for Lolium perenne). Spike-like particle, narrow, dense, erect, 2 - 10 cm long, with very short branches. Two types of spikelets. Fertile spikelets with 3 - 7 flowers. Sterile spikelets very reduced. The weight of 1000 seeds is 0.55 to 0.80 (small seeds). Chromosome number: 2n = 14 or 2n = 28.

Temperature

Thrives in all temperate climates. Very resistant to cold.

Soil

Optimum on normally drained to wet soils. Large range of soil nutrient availability except for the richest and the poorest soils (mesotrophic species with large range). Grows on moderately acid to neutral soils. Preference for clay, loam, sandy-clay soils.

Distribution

Native to Europe and the Caucasus. From the lowlands up to alpine levels in mountain areas.

References