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''Cynosurus cristatus'', the crested dog's-tail, is a short-lived BSBI Description
retrieved 10 December 2010. It may be grown as an
It is
It is found in most parts of Europe and South West Asia, and has been introduced into North America, Australia and New Zealand, from near sea level up to about 2000 feet, in all soil types.
''Cynosurus cristatus''''Cynosurus cristatus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1813529 Flora of Europe Flora of Estonia Flora of the United Kingdom Pooideae Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
''Cynosurus cristatus'', the crested dog's-tail, is a short-lived perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
grass in the family Poaceae, characterised by a seed head that is flat on one side. It typically grows in species rich grassland. It thrives in a variety of soil types but avoids the acid and calcareous extremes of pH, and prefers well drained soils.retrieved 10 December 2010. It may be grown as an
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
.
Description
It is perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
with a slighted tufted habit, a slender stem, 15 to 45 cm high, leafy at the base and thus suitable for grazing by sheep.
The spikelets are fertile or sterile, mixed within the same cluster. They are oblong or wedge shaped, 3–6 mm long, with 2 to 5 flowers.
The ligule A ligule (from "strap", variant of ''lingula'', from ''lingua'' "tongue") is a thin outgrowth at the junction of leaf and leafstalk of many Poaceae, grasses (Poaceae) and Cyperaceae, sedges. A ligule is also a strap-shaped extension of the corolla ...
is blunt. Leaves are folded in shoot.
Leaves are pointed at the tip, flat (not boat-shaped). The lower side of the leaf is smooth, glossy and keeled. The upper side is ribbed. Other grasses with glossy leaves include '' Lolium perenne'' and '' Poa trivialis''.
Habitat and distribution
It is found in most parts of Europe and South West Asia, and has been introduced into North America, Australia and New Zealand, from near sea level up to about 2000 feet, in all soil types.
Flowers
It flowers from May to August.Uses
It is grazed by sheep as it is leafy at the base. It can withstand cold and drought and remains green during the winter. Cattle and sheep will eat the young leaves eagerly, but leave the stiff, hard stems alone. It has been used for straw plaiting hats and other similar uses. It is a foodplant for theskipper butterfly
Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy ...
and brown butterfly families.
It also used as a rat killer.
References
* * Hubbard, C E. (1968) Grasses * Rose, Francis (1974) The Observers Book of Grasses, Sedges and RushesExternal links
''Cynosurus cristatus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1813529 Flora of Europe Flora of Estonia Flora of the United Kingdom Pooideae Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus