Dactylis glomerata

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Dactylis glomerata is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, known as cock's-foot,[1] also colloquially as orchard grass, or cat grass (due to its popularity for use with domestic cats). It is a cool-season perennial C3 tufted grass native throughout most of Europe, temperate Asia, and northern Africa.[2][1][3][4][5]

Distribution

Dactylis glomerata occurs from sea level in the north of its range, to as high as 4,000 metres in elevation in the south of its range in Pakistan.[6] It is widely used for hay and forage.[5]

It is a principal species in the widespread National Vegetation Classification habitat community MG1 (Arrhenatherum elatius grassland) in the United Kingdom, and so can be found with Arrhenatherum elatius (false oat grass).[7]

File:Dactylis glomerata Habitus Valderrepisa 2012-5-31 SierraMadrona.jpg
Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica, Sierra Madrona, Spain

It can be found in meadows, pasture, roadsides, and rough grassland.

It has been introduced into North America, New Zealand and Australia, and is now widely naturalised.[8] In some areas, it has become an invasive species.

File:Dactylis glomerata stems and ligules.jpg
One of the keys to distinguishing this species from other grasses are its flat stems

Description

Cock's-foot grows in dense perennial tussocks to Script error: No such module "convert". tall, with grey-green leaves Script error: No such module "convert". long and up to Script error: No such module "convert". broad, and a distinctive tufted triangular flowerhead Script error: No such module "convert". long, which may be either green or red- to purple-tinged (usually green in shade, redder in full sun), turning pale grey-brown at seed maturity. The spikelets are Script error: No such module "convert". long, typically containing two to five flowers. It has a characteristic flattened stem base which distinguishes it from many other grasses.[1][5]

It flowers from June to September.[9]

File:Dactylis glomerata bluete1.jpeg
Flower head

Taxonomy

Dactylis glomerata is treated as the sole species in the genus Dactylis by some authors,[2][3] while others include one to four other species.[10][11] It is commonly divided into several regional subspecies, particularly by those authors accepting only the single species.[2][6][10] Plants of the World Online accepts 20 subspecies.[12]

  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. glomerata (synonyms subsp. altaica and subsp. himalayensis) – widespread; described from Europe
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. hackelii (Asch. & Graebn.) Cif. & Giacom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syns. subsp. marina, D. marina BorrillScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., and D. maritima (Hack.) Rivas Mart.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Mediterranean and Madeira
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica (Roth) NymanScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. hispanica RothScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Mediterranean and western Asia to Afghanistan
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. hyrcana TzvelevScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. hyrcana) – eastern Transcaucasus
  • Dactylis glomerata nothosubsp. intercedens (Domin) AcedoScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (D. glomerata subsp. glomerata × D. glomerata; syns. subsp. lobata and D. × intercedens DominScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Germany and Czechoslovakia
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. izcoi S.Ortiz & Rodr.OubiñaScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. izcoi Horjales, Laso & RedondoScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Portugal and western Spain
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. judaica Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Israel
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. juncinella (Bory) Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. juncinella BoryScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – southern Spain (Sierra Nevada) and Morocco
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. lobata (Drejer) H.Lindb.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syns. D. lobata (Drejer) Ostenf.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., subsp. aschersoniana, D. aschersoniana Graebn.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., D. polygamaHorv.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., and D. scabra W.Mann ex OpizScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – western and central Europe to the Caucasus
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. lusitanica Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – northwestern Spain to central Portugal
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. mairei Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – northeastern Algeria
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. merinoana (Horjales, Laso & Redondo) H.ScholzScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Iberian Peninsula
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. nestorii Rosselló & L.SáezScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syns. subsp. ibizensis, D. ibizensis Gand.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Balearic Islands (Ibiza and Formentera)
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. oceanica G.GuignardScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – western and northwestern France
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. reichenbachii (Dalla Torre & Sarnth.) Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Alps (Austria, France, Italy)
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. rigida (Boiss. & Heldr.) HayekScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. rigida Boiss. & Heldr.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Crete
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. santai Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – northern Algeria and Tunisia
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. slovenica (Domin) DominScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. slovenica DominScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Alps, Carpathians, and northern Balkan Peninsula
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. stebbinsii (Horjales, Laso & Redondo) H.ScholzScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – southern Spain
  • Dactylis glomerata subsp. woronowii (Ovcz.) Stebbins & D.ZoharyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". (syn. D. woronowii Ovcz.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) – Caucasus

Dactylis glomerata subsp. glomerata and subsp. hispanica are tetraploid forms with 28 chromosomes; some of the other subspecies, including subsp. himalayensis and subsp. lobata are diploid, with 2n = 14. Hexaploid forms with 42 chromosomes are also known, but rare.[3][13] Tetraploid forms are larger and coarser than diploid forms.[13]

Cultivation and uses

Cock's-foot is widely used as a hay grass and for pastures because of its high yields and sugar content, which makes it sweeter than most other temperate grasses. In dry areas as in much of Australia, Mediterranean subspecies such as subsp. hispanica are preferred for their greater drought tolerance.[14] It requires careful grazing management; if it is undergrazed it becomes coarse and unpalatable.

In some areas to which it has been introduced, cock's-foot has become an invasive weed, notably some areas of the eastern United States.[10]

As with other grasses, the pollen can cause allergic rhinitis (hay fever) in some people.

The grass is popularly grown to satisfy the craving of domestic cats to chew grass, hence its colloquial name cat grass.[15]

The seeds were first collected by Rogers Parker in Hertfordshire; this was then developed by the agricultural reformer Coke of Norfolk.[16] Parker's estate, Munden, near Bricket Wood, was inherited by the botanist George Hibbert.[17]

Butterfly foodplant

The caterpillars of many butterfly species feed on cock's foot, including:[18]

Popular Culture

Doom metal band Candlemass named their 1998 studio album after the Dactylis glomerata.

References

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  1. ↑ a b c Interactive Flora of NW Europe Dactylis glomerata (Cock's-foot)Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  2. ↑ a b c Flora Europaea: Dactylis glomerata Template:Webarchive
  3. ↑ a b c Template:EFloras
  4. ↑ USDA Plant Fact Sheet: ORCHARDGRASS
  5. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b Template:Tropicos
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Hubbard, C. E. Grasses. Penguin. 1978.
  10. ↑ a b c Species Records of Dactylis, Dactylis glomerata. Germplasm Resources Information Network.
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  13. ↑ a b Míka, V., Kohoutek, A., & Odstrèilová, V. (2002). Characteristics of important diploid and tetraploid subspecies of Dactylis from point of view of the forage crop production. Template:Webarchive Rostlinná Výroba 48 (6): 243–248.
  14. ↑ NSW Department of Primary Industries PrimeFacts: Cocksfoot
  15. ↑ Victoria Nursery: Catgrass plant
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Natural England: Cocksfoot - Dactylis glomerata Template:Webarchive

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