Relatives

Beckmannia eruciformis (L.) Host -Sloughgrass.

Systematic position.

Family Poaceae Barnhart Genera Beckmannia Host

Morphology and biology.

It is a perennial, long rhizomatous grass. Height is up to (15)30 to 150 cm tall. Lower part of stem has node. Leaf is 3-10 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, plain and rough. Leaf color is from pale green to yellow. Leaf lingula is 6 mm long and sharp. Inflorescence is panicle, up to 30 cm long, one-sided; sprigs of panicle are like a spike, crowded to main axis. Spikelet is 2.5-3 mm long, compressed on each side, obovate, imbricated sitting in two rows on one side of sprigs; one has two flowers. Glumes are inflated like sacks. Cross-pollinated, wind-pollinated. Flowering occurs during June-July. Reproduces by seeds. Chromosomal number 2n=14, 16.

Distribution.

Europe part of the USSR (except north and north-east districts), Caucasia (Northern, Western, Southern Caucasia), Western Siberia (south-west districts), Eastern Siberia (central district), Middle Asia (Kazakhstan); Middle Europe, Mediterranean, Asia Minor; invasive or introduced in several other countries.

Ecology.

Species occurs in meadows, mainly flood plain, damp, waterlogged meadows, grows along pond banks, often on clay, sand, alkali soil and sometimes by the roads; grows up to the base of the mountain zone. It is found among plant communities that consist of water-resistant plants. Species can dominate in phytocenosis.

Economic value.

Forage, for haying and pastoral use. It can be used for cultural haying and pastures.

Reference citations:

Cherepanov S.K. 1988. Plantae Vasculares Rossicae et Civitatum Collimitanearum (in limics USSR olim)[List of Vascular Plants of Russia]. St. Petersburg: Mir I Semia. 990 pp. (In Russian)
Gubanov I.A., Kiseleva K.V., Novikov V.S., Tychomirov V.N. 2002. Illustrated Keys to the plants of Middle Russia. V. 1. Moscow. 526 p. (In Russian)
Tzvelev N.N. 1976. Poaceae USSR. Leningrad: Nauka. 788 pp. (In Russian)

© Funtova V.G.