Phleum pratense L.

timothy


Info

Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus etymology: pheleum is the acient Greek name for an unidentified marsh grass
Species etymology: pratense = "of meadows" [Latin] refering to its habitat
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1917

Map

 Distribution of Phleum pratense in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Phleum pratense Inflorescence
Phleum pratense Inflorescence

Habit

Phleum pratense Habit

Spikelets

Phleum pratense Spikelets
Phleum pratense Spikelets
Phleum pratense Spikelets

Description

Plants perennial; loosely to densely cespitose. Culms (20) 50-150 cm, usually erect, lower internodes frequently enlarged or bulbous. Sheaths of the flag leaves not inflated; auricles occasionally present, inconspicuous; ligules 2-4 mm, obtuse to acute; blades to 45 cm long, 4-8(10) mm wide, flat. Panicles (3)5-10(16) cm long, 5-7.5(10) mm wide, 5-20 times as long as wide, not tapering distally; branches adnate to the rachises. Glumes 3-4 mm, sides usually puberulent, keels pectinate-ciliate, apices awned, awns 1-1.5(2) mm; lemmas (1.2)1.7-2 mm, about 1/2 as long as the glumes, usually puberulent; anthers 1.6-2.3 mm. 2n = 42 (21, 35, 36, 49, 56, 63, 70, 84).
(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/Phleum_pratense )