Alopecurus arundinaceus

Poir.
Common names: Creeping meadow foxtail Vulpin roseau
Introduced
Synonyms: Alopecurus ventricosus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 782.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator: Cindy Roché

Copyright: Utah State University

Plants short-lived perennials; rhizomatous. Culms 30-110 cm, erect. Ligules 1.3-5 mm, truncate; blades 6-40 cm long, 3-12 mm wide; upper sheaths somewhat inflated. Panicles 3-10 cm long, 7-13 mm wide. Glumes 3.6-5 mm, connate in the lower 1/5-1/3, membranous, sparsely pubescent, keels not winged, ciliate, apices acute, divergent, pale green to lead-gray; lemmas 3.1-4.5 mm, connate in at least the lower 1/3, usually glabrous, sometimes with scattered hairs near the apices, apices truncate to obtuse, awns 1.5-7.5 mm, geniculate, exceeding the lemmas by 0-3 mm; anthers 2.2-3.5 mm. 2n = 26, 28, 30.

Distribution

Colo., Wash., N.Dak., Ariz., Utah, Nebr., Alta., Man., Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.), N.W.T., Mont., Wyo., Ky., Idaho, S.Dak.

Discussion

Alopecurus arundinaceus is native to Eurasia, extending north of the Arctic Circle and south to the Mediterranean. It grows in wet, moderately acid to moderately alkaline soils, on flood plains, near vernal ponds, and along rivers, streams, bogs, potholes, and sloughs. It was introduced for pasture in North Dakota and now occurs more widely, having been promoted as a forage species. It is sometimes used in seed mixtures for revegetation projects. It was evaluated for revegetation in Alberta, but there is no evidence that it was ever actually used in that province. Alopecurus arundinaceus suppresses Hordeum jubatum, a trouble¬some, unpalatable, weedy species, in irrigated pastures (Moyer and Boswall 2002).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Alopecurus arundinaceus"
William J. Crins +
Creeping meadow foxtail +  and Vulpin roseau +
Colo. +, Wash. +, N.Dak. +, Ariz. +, Utah +, Nebr. +, Alta. +, Man. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.) +, N.W.T. +, Mont. +, Wyo. +, Ky. +, Idaho +  and S.Dak. +
Introduced +
Alopecurus ventricosus +
Alopecurus arundinaceus +
Alopecurus +
species +