Cock's Foot

Widely naturalized or cultivated in North America and southern Africa.

This is an important pasture and forage grass that has been widely introduced into temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world (Cocksfoot, Orchard Grass).

The typical form, subsp. glomerata (2n = 28), has a relatively compact panicle, broad spikelet fascicles, and conspicuously ciliate lemma keels. Other forms, widespread in China and the Himalayas, have a looser panicle with long flexuose branches, narrower spikelet fascicles, and only minutely ciliolate lemma keels. The names subsp. sinensis, subsp. himalayensis, and the European name subsp. slovenica (Domin) Domin have been applied to these forms. A chromosome count of 2n = 14 has been recorded for subsp. himalayensis. The basis of this variation, the correct application of these names, and their relationship to similar variants from outside China are not yet understood.

An excellent fodder grass. 1700-4000 m.

Cock’s-foot, Cockspur, Barnyard or Orchard Grass is a very variable species which, owing to its agricultural importance has been studied intensively in some parts of its range. It includes diploids (2n = 14) and tetraploids (2n = 28) which can usually be distinguished from one another by the size of their stomata and pollen-grains. In other characters there appears to be parallel variation; Many of the variants have been given specific or subspecific rank (see Domin in Acta bot. bohem. 14:3-147. 1943), but most of them do not seem to be clearly distinguish-able except by chromosome number, average characteristics of populations and behaviour in cultivation. No attempt has been made to resolve the infraspecific taxa in Pakistan and Kashmir, but the following intergrading subspecies have been distinguished:

Densely tufted perennial, with short rhizome. Culm up to 1 m tall, 3 mm in diameter. Blade 20 cm long, 5 mm wide, minutely hispid on nerves; ligule 5 mm long, truncate, membranous. Panicle loose, up to 9 cm long, branches single, rarely binate; Spikelet 2-4-flowered, 7 mm long; glumes lanceolate, weakly 2-3-nerved, hairy on lateral nerves; the lower chartaceous, 4 mm long; the upper subcoriaceous, 5 mm long; lemma lanceolate, 5.5 mm long, chartaceous, 5-nerved, with a short awn at the apex, hairy on back and margins; palea chartaceous, narrowly lanceolate, 2-keeled, minutely ciliate on keels, margins folded and overlapping; anther 2 mm long.

Perennial, coarse. Culms solitary or tufted, erect or geniculate at base, 40–140 cm tall. Leaf sheaths strongly keeled; leaf blades flat, (6–)10–30 cm × 4–9 mm, abaxial surface scabrid along midrib and margin; ligule 4–8 mm. Panicle oblong to ovate in outline, 5–15 cm; branches single or rarely paired at base, (3–)5–15 cm, horizontal or ascending, lower part naked, upper part with dense fascicles of spikelets. Spikelets oblong to wedge-shaped, 5–9 mm, florets closely overlapping, green or purplish; glumes 4–5(–6.5) mm, scabrid or ciliolate along keel, margins membranous, apex acute to acuminate; lemmas 4–7 mm, lowest subequal to spikelet, scabrid or flanks short-pilose, apex with stout awn up to 1.5 mm. Anthers ca. 2.5 mm. Fl. and fr. May–Aug. 2n = 14, 28, 42.

Coarsely tufted perennial; culms 15-100 (-200) cm high, erect or spreading, slender to stout, the vegetative shoots strongly compressed. Leaf-blades 10-45 cm long, 2-14 mm wide, folded at first, glabrous; sheaths strongly compressed and keeled; ligule 2-10 mm long, acute or lacerate. Panicle oblong to ovate, 2-30 cm long, the branches close together and spike-like or usually with the lower distant and bare at the base. Spikelets oblong or wedge-shaped, 5-9 mm long; glumes lanceolate to ovate, ciliate on the keel, finely pointed; lemma lanceolate to oblong in side view, 4-7 mm long, the keel ciliate or rough, tipped with a rigid awn up to 1.5 mm long.

Europe, N. Africa, temperate Asia.

Originally distributed in Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia.

Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang; cultivated in Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, Shandong [Bhutan, N India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkestan, Uzbekistan; N Africa, SW Asia, Europe].

Distribution: Pakistan (Punjab, N.W.F.P., Gilgit & Kashmir); temperate Europe and Asia; introduced into most temperate countries.

3200-3700 m

Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-August.

Mountain slopes, light forest shade, other grassy places; 1400–3600 m.

Dactylis altaica Besser; D. glomerata subsp. altaica (Besser) Domin; D. glomerata var. altaica (Besser) Keng; D. glom-erata subsp. sinensis A. Camus; D. glomerata subsp. himalay-ensis Domin.