Poaceae
Alopecurus

Alopecurus geniculatus L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 60 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Europe to Himalaya, Algeria. It is a perennial or annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms decumbent; 15-45 cm long; 1-5 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-5 mm long. Leaf-blades 2-12 cm long; 2-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; 1.5-7 cm long; 0.3-0.7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5-3.5 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes connate along margins below; similar; exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 2.5-3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 2.5-3.5 mm long; 1-1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5-3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 4 -veined. Lemma margins connate below. Lemma apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1-0.2 way up back of lemma; 3.5-5 mm long overall; clearly exserted from spikelet. Palea absent or minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1.5-2 mm long. Stigmas protogynous; terminally exserted; pubescent. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Soviet far east and western Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Malesia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: western South America and southern South America.
Reference
Aveneae. CEH.
Diagnostic
Glumes connate only at base.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Common Names

English
Marsh Foxtail

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images