Deschampsia cespitosa
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
Deschampsia cespitosa, commonly known as tufted hairgrass or tussock grass,[1] is a perennial tufted plant in the grass family Poaceae.[2] The distribution of this species is widespread, with it being native to North America, Central Africa, eastern Australia and Eurasia and being introduced to South Africa, South Australia and South America.
Description
A distinguishing feature is the upper surface of the leaf blade which feels rough and can cut in one direction, but is smooth in the opposite direction. The dark green upper sides of the leaves are deeply grooved.
It can grow to Template:Cvt tall, and has a long, narrow, pointed ligule.[3] It flowers from June until August.
Habitat and ecology
It can be found on all types of grassland, although it prefers poorly drained soil. It forms a major component of the British NVC community MG9 - Holcus lanatus to Deschampsia cespitosa mesotrophic grasslands. It can exist up to altitudes of 4000 ft.[4] Typical native grass associates in the western North American coastal prairies, such as the California coastal prairie, are Festuca californica, Festuca idahoensis, Danthonia californica, and Nassella pulchra.
It is a larval host to the Juba skipper (Hesperia juba) and the umber skipper (Lon melane).[5]
Subspecies
- Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. cespitosa (synonyms: Deschampsia bottnica (Wahlenb.) Trin.; Deschampsia littoralis (Gaudin) Reut.)[6]
Horticulture
The species is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant, and numerous cultivars are available. The cultivars 'Goldschleier' and 'Goldtau' [7] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[8][9]
Gallery
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Seed
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Ligule is long and pointed
See also
References
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- ↑ Jepson Manual. 1993
- ↑ "Identification Resources", BSBI Template:Webarchive Identification Resources website
- ↑ Grasses by C E Hubbard, 1978, published by Penguin books
- ↑ The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
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External links
- Jepson Manual. 1993. Jepson Manual Treatment: Deschampsia cespitosa
- USDA Plants Profile for Deschampsia cespitosa
- UC Photos gallery of Deschampsia cespitosa
- Pages with broken file links
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- Deschampsia
- Bunchgrasses of North America
- Bunchgrasses of Asia
- Bunchgrasses of Europe
- Bunchgrasses of South America
- Grasses of North America
- Grasses of Oceania
- Grasses of Canada
- Grasses of the United States
- Flora of Australia
- Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
- Taxa named by Palisot de Beauvois
- Garden plants of North America
- Garden plants of South America
- Ornamental grass