Relatives
Alopecurus brachystachyus Bieb. - Alopecurus brachystachyus
Systematic position.
Family Poaceae Barnhart Genera Alopecurus L.Synonims.
A. pratensis L. subsp. brachystachyus (Bieb.) Trab.Morphology and biology.
Perennial grass with thin, branching rhizomes. Height reaches 50 to 60 (90) cm. Stem is erect, single, with 2-3 internodes. Radical leaves are long with slim sheaths. Cauline leaves are short, bare. Upper cauline leaves have enlarged sheaths. Inflorescence is tassel, oval, short-cylindrical, up to 2.5-3.5 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. Spikelet is yellow-green with violet top, brown to end of vegetation. Glume is 3.5-4(5) mm in length. It has long, silk hairs along and between lateral veins. Obtuse excision between upper part of glumes is equal to 1/3 the length of the glumes. Floral glumes have cut tops that are shorter than spikelets. Awn of floral glume is thick, geniculate, contorted, dark brown in color, 5-8 mm longer than spikelet. Anther is 2.3-2.5 mm long. Cross-pollinated and wind-pollinated. Flowering and ripening occurs in June-July. Seed and vegetative reproduction. Chromosome number is unknown.Distribution.
Southeastern Siberia, the Far East (the Amursky region; Chabarovsk and Primorsky territory by invasion), Middle Asia (semi-desert region, mountains), Mongolia, and Northeastern China.Ecology.
Species occurs in small meadow plots, saline meadows, shingle shelves, stony slopes, and along pond banks in steppes; found in both low and middle mountain zones.Economic value.
Forage.Related references:
Cherepanov, S.K. 1988. Vascular plants of Former USSR. St-Petersburg: Mir I Semia, 990 pp. (in Russian)Malyshev L.I., Peshkova G.A., ed. 1990. Flora of Siberia. Poaceae (Graminea). V. 2. Novosibirsk: Nauka, 361 pp. (in Russian)
Tzvelev, N.N. 1976. Poaceae USSR. Leningrad: Nauka, 788 pp. (in Russian).