Dactylis glomerata L.

orchard grass, cocksfoot


Info

Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus etymology: Dactylis = "finger" [Greek] refering to the inflorescence shape
Species etymology: glomerata = "ball of thread possessing" [Latin] refering to the spikelets croweded into ball like structures
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1893

Map

 Distribution of Dactylis glomerata in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Dactylis glomerata in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Dactylis glomerata Inflorescence
Dactylis glomerata Inflorescence
Dactylis glomerata Inflorescence
Dactylis glomerata Inflorescence
Dactylis glomerata Inflorescence

Plant

Dactylis glomerata Plant
Dactylis glomerata Plant
Dactylis glomerata Plant
Dactylis glomerata Plant

Habit

Dactylis glomerata Habit

Spikelets

Dactylis glomerata Spikelets
Dactylis glomerata Spikelets
Dactylis glomerata Spikelets
Dactylis glomerata Spikelets
Dactylis glomerata Spikelets

Viviparous inflorescence

Dactylis glomerata Viviparous inflorescence
Dactylis glomerata Viviparous inflorescence

Description

Culms to 2.1+ m, erect. Leaves dark green; sheaths longer than the internodes, glabrous, usually keeled; ligules 3-11 mm, truncate to acuminate; blades (2)4-8(10) mm wide, elongate, lax, with a conspicuous midrib and white, scabridulous to scabrous margins. Panicles 4-20 cm, typically pyramidal, lower branches spreading, upper branches appressed. Spikelets 5-8 mm, subsessile. Glumes 3-5 mm; lemmas 4-8 mm, scabridulous; paleas slightly shorter than the lemmas; anthers 2-3.5 mm. 2n = 14, 21, 27-31, 42.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M. & Long, S. (eds.) 1993. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 1. Oxford University Press, New York. 911 pp. http://floranorthamerica.org/Dactylis_glomerata )

Tufted perennials; culms 15-140 cm tall, erect or spreading, slender to stout, the vegetative shoots strongly compressed. Sheaths strongly compressed and keeled; ligule oblong-ovate, 4-8 mm long, fimbriate-lacerate; blades 10-45 cm long, 2-14 mm wide, folded, glabrous. Inflorescences paniculate, oblong to ovate, 2-30 cm long, the branches closely spaced, usually the lower ones distant and without spikelets; spikelets oblong or cuneate, 5-9 mm long, aggregated in compact fascicles; glumes lanceolate to ovate, 3-6 mm long, 1-nerved, keel ciliate, first glume 2-6 mm long, second glume 3-7 mm long; lemmas lanceolate to oblong in side view, 4-7 mm long, keel ciliate or scabrous, apex with a rigid awn up to 1.5 mm long; palea lanceolate. Caryopsis loosely enclosed by lemma and palea, ellipsoid to lanceoloid-ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm long. [2n = 14, 27-31, 42.]
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )