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GRASSES
OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
The Latin name for Orchard Grass --Dactylis -- derives from the Greek daktulos, which means finger, in reference to the stiff branches of the flowerhead. Orchard grasses come from the Old World and are cultivated in hay mixtures. Dactylis can become weedy and is thought by many ecologists to be displacing native species. On the plus side, Dactylis provides high-value forage for cattle and deer populations.
Leaves and Stem: Stout, erect, hollow stems arise from a dense mass of rank leaves and grow from short rhizomes that are often difficult to see. The sheaths are open part way. The hairless but rough-feeling leaf blades are 3-11 mm wide and flat. Young growth is bluish green. There are no auricles. The ligules are 3-9 mm long and hairy. The upper half of the ligule may be turned back and split in several spots. Flowerhead and Flowers: The somewhat one-sided, slightly pyramid-shaped flowerhead is 3-15 cm long and can be recognized even in dry winter specimens. Spikelets are crowded on the ends of short, stiff branches. Flattened spikelets bear three to five flowers, which extend somewhat beyond the glumes. Glumes are about equal in length and are shorter than the first flower. Glumes have short awns, and one of the glumes is hairy in the upper portion. Lemmas likewise have short awns and hairs on the upper part. Similar Species: Orchard Grass might be confused with Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) another tall, robust grass. Reed Canary Grass generally grows much taller, usually in seasonally wet sites. Its leaves are wider and the flowerhead is narrowed and pointed.
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