Alopecurus geniculatus

Alopecurus geniculatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Alopecurus
Species:
A. geniculatus
Binomial name
Alopecurus geniculatus
L. 1753 not Lindh. ex Scheele 1849 nor Sibth. ex Steudel 1840
Synonyms[1]
  • Alopecurus aristulosus Desv.
  • Alopecurus australis Nees
  • Alopecurus bulbosus With.
  • Alopecurus nothus R.Arndt
  • Alopecurus pallescens Piper
  • Alopecurus palustris Syme
  • Tozzettia geniculata (L.) Bubani

Alopecurus geniculatus is a species of grass known by the common name water foxtail[2] or marsh foxtail.[3] It is native to much of Eurasia and introduced into North America, South America, and Australia. It grows in moist areas.[4][5][6][7]

Alopecurus geniculatus is a perennial grass forming bunches of erect stems up to about 60 cm (24 inches) in height. The leaves are up 12 cm (5 inches) in length. The pale green to purplish inflorescence is a dense panicle up to 6 or 7 cm long which blooms in dusty yellow-orange anthers.[8][9][10] reproduces sexually by seeds and can reproduce vegetatively by rooting at stem nodes.[2]

In Europe, it can be affected by a fungus, known as 'Foxtail Smut', Urocystis alopecuri.[11]

Environmental conservation

Alopecurus geniculatus is a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures a type of Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in the UK. It occurs on poorly drained neutral and acidic soils of the lowlands and upland fringe.

Nonindigenous spread

The grass has spread significantly in the United States since it was first introduced.[2]

Spread
State First Observed
AK 1940
AZ 1941
AR 1905
CA 1900
CO 1886
CT 1900
DC 1900
GA 1929
ID 1912
IL 1860
IN 1918
IA 1894
KS 1890
KY 1900
LA 1897
ME 1893
MD 1900
MA 1874
MI 1900
MN 1900
MS 1892
MT 1884
NE 1900
NV 1978
NH 1900
NJ 1915
NM 1904
NY 1858
ND 1915
OH 1882
OK 1896
OR 1884
PA 1900
RI 1941
SD 1900
TN 1999
TX 1899
UT 1894
VT 1921
WA 1902
WV 1900
WI 1900
WY 1888

Hybrid

Alopecurus geniculatus is known to hybridize with other members of the Alopecurus genus. Alopecurus x haussknechtianus is a hybrid between A. geniculatus and A. aequalis, Alopecurus x brachystylus is a hybrid between A. geniculatus and A. pratensis, Alopecurus x plettkei is s hybrid between A. geniculatus and A. bulbosus (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland 2016)[2]

References

  1. ^ The Plant List, Alopecurus geniculatus L.
  2. ^ a b c d "water foxtail (Alopecurus geniculatus) - Species Profile". nas.er.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  3. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. ^ Moore, D. M. 1983. Flora de Tierra del Fuego 396 pp. A. Nelson; Missouri Botanical Garden, Oswestry; St. Louis
  5. ^ Soreng, R. J. 2003. Alopecurus. 48: 97–106. In R. J. Soreng, P. M. Peterson, G. Davidse, E. J. Judziewicz, F. O. Zuloaga, T. S. Filgueiras & O. Morrone (eds.) Catalogue of New World Grasses (Poaceae): IV. Subfamily Pooideae, Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  6. ^ Böcher, T. W., K. Holmen & K. Jacobsen. 1968. Flora of Greenland (ed. 2) 312 pp.
  7. ^ Bor, N. L. 1960. Grass. Burma, Ceylon, India & Pakistan i–767. Pergamon Press, Oxford
  8. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Coda di topo ginocchiata, Vulpin genouillé, capim-cauda-de-raposa-dobrado, kärrkavle, Alopecurus geniculatus includes photos and European distribution map
  9. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  10. ^ Dogan, M. 1999. A concise taxonomic revision of the genus Alopecurus L. (Gramineae). Türk Botanik Dergisi 23(4): 245–262
  11. ^ "Urocystis alopecuri – Plant Parasites of Europe". bladmineerders.nl. Retrieved 24 September 2023.


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