Holcus mollis L.

Graminae

Synonyms

Common names

Creeping soft-grass (English), Houlque molle (French), Weiches honiggras (German).

Description

Perennial plant, medium size, hairy to glabrescent, with thin, creeping rhizomes. Stems erect, 20 - 80 cm high. Blade rolled when young, wide, with a dense pilosity on the upper part, hairless below, greyish green. Nodes densely hairy, much more hairy than the sheath. Ligule long (up to 5 mm), oval-oblong. No auricles. Panicle-like inflorescence, contracted or spreading, reddish-white to pink, 4 - 10 cm long. Spikelets 2 - flowered, the inferior flower fertile, the upper only male, 5 - 6 mm long. Chromosome number: 2n = 28 or 35 or 42 or 49.

Temperature

Tolerates shade.

Soil

Optimum on cool, normally drained to dry soils. Restricted to nutrient poor soils and moderately to very acid. Optimum on siliceous soils.

Distribution

Native to West and mediane Europe. From the lowlands to alpine levels in mountain areas.

References