Alopecurus aequalis

This perennial grass is ¾-1½' tall, consisting of a flowering culm with several alternate leaves. The culm is pale green, glabrous, and terete. The leaf blades are 1½-5" long,  3-6 mm. across, and flat; they are ascending to widely spreading. The upper and lower blade surfaces are medium green to grayish green and glabrous. The leaf sheaths are grayish green or bluish green, slightly inflated around the culm, glabrous, and sometimes glaucous. The ligules are white-membranous, while the nodes are dark-colored and hairless. Each fertile culm terminates in a spike-like panicle that is about 1-3" long and 4-5 mm. in diameter; the panicle is narrowly cylindrical in shape and light green when it is immature. The single-flowered spikelets are densely arranged along the entire length of each panicle; they are overlapping, ascending, and soft. Each spikelet is about 2-3 mm. long with an ellipsoid shape that is compressed (flattened), consisting of a pair of glumes, a pair of lemmas, and a perfect floret. The glumes are keeled, where they are conspicuously ciliate; they are softly short-hairy below the middle and joined together at the base. The lemmas are glabrous and joined together at the base; the fertile lemma has a short awn that originates from below the middle of its length. This awn is exserted up to 1.0 mm. from the tip of the spikelet. The infertile lemma is similar in appearance to the fertile lemma, except that it lacks an awn. Both the glumes and lemmas are about the same length as the spikelet (excluding the awn). Each floret has 3 stamens and a pair of feathery stigmata; the anthers are pale yellow to orange. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer, lasting about 1-2 weeks. The florets are cross-pollinated by the wind. Fertile florets are replaced by small grains. The root system is shallow and fibrous. Colonies of plants often develop at favorable sites.

The native Short-Awned Foxtail is uncommon in Illinois, occurring in scattered areas across the state (Distribution Map). In addition to North America, this grass also occurs in Eurasia. Habitats include prairie swales, edges of bogs, partially shaded seeps, swamps, low areas along ponds, and ditches. In Illinois, this grass usually occurs in higher quality natural areas, although it sometimes colonizes disturbed areas.

Alopecurus aequalis var. fluitans (Parodi) Mariano:
Argentina (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus aequalis var. violaceus (Hack.) Mariano:
Argentina (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus paludosus P. Beauv. ex Mert & Koch:
France (Europe)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus geniculatus var. robustus Vasey:
Canada (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus geniculatus var. natans Wahlenb.:
Sweden (Europe)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus geniculatus var. caesius Neilr.:
Austria (Europe)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus diandrus Griff.:
India (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus aequalis var. natans (Wahlenb.) Fernald:
Canada (North America)
Greenland (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Alopecurus aequalis Sobol.:
Colombia (South America)
Ecuador (South America)
Finland (Europe)
France (Europe)
Greece (Europe)
Greenland (North America)
Canada (North America)
Germany (Europe)
Guatemala (Mesoamerica)
Hungary (Europe)
Iceland (Europe)
India (Asia)
Italy (Europe)
Japan (Asia)
Netherlands (Europe)
Norway (Europe)
Bhutan (Asia)
New Zealand (Oceania)
Peru (South America)
Bolivia (South America)
Pakistan (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
Burma (Asia)
Spain (Europe)
China (Asia)
Switzerland (Europe)
Turkey (Asia)
Taiwan (Asia)
United Kingdom (Europe)
United States (North America)
Venezuela (South America)
Yugoslavia (Europe)
Argentina (South America)
Australia (Oceania)
Afghanistan (Asia)
Kyrgyzstan (Asia)
Kazakhstan (Asia)
Mongolia (Asia)
Nepal (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)
Tajikistan (Asia)
Turkmenistan (Asia)
Uzbekistan (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, Japan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia, Europe, North America].

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P. & Kashmir); throughout Europe, temperate Asia and North America.

Temperate Europe & Asia, N. America.

Annuals, Perennials, Terrestrial, not aquatic, Stems nodes swollen or brittle, Stems erect or ascending, Stems geniculate, d ecumbent, or lax, sometimes rooting at nodes, Stems caespitose, tufted, or clustered, Stems terete, round in cross section, or polygonal, Stem internodes hollow, Stems with inflorescence less than 1 m tall, Stems, culms, or scapes exceeding basal leaves, Leaves mostly cauline, Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, distichous, Leaves sheathing at base, Leaf sheath mostly open, or loose, Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, Leaf sheath and blade differentiated, Leaf blades linear, Leaf blades 2-10 mm wide, Leaf blades mostly flat, Leaf blades mostly glabrous, Leaf blades scabrous, roughened, or wrinkled, Ligule present, Ligule an unfringed eciliate membrane, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence a dense slender spike-like panicle or raceme, branches contracted, Inflorescence solitary, with 1 spike, fascicle, glomerule, head, or cluster per stem or culm, Inflorescence spike linear or cylindric, several times longer than wide, Inflorescence single raceme, fascicle or spike, Flowers bisexu al, Spikelets pedicellate, Spikelets laterally compressed, Spikelet less than 3 mm wide, Spikelets with 1 fertile floret, Spikelets solitary at rachis nodes, Spikelets all alike and fertille, Spikelets bisexual, Spikelets disarticulating below the glumes, Rachilla or pedicel glabrous, Glumes present, empty bracts, Glumes 2 clearly present, Glumes equal or subequal, Glumes equal to or longer than adjacent lemma, Glume margins connate at base, Glumes keeled or winged, Glumes 3 nerved, Lemmas thin, chartaceous, hyaline, cartilaginous, or membranous, Lemma margins connate below, Lemma 5-7 nerved, Lemma glabrous, Lemma body or surface hairy, Lemma apex truncate, rounded, or obtuse, Lemma mucronate, very shortly beaked or awned, less than 1-2 mm, Lemma awn less than 1 cm long, Lemma awn subapical or dorsal, Lemma awns straight or curved to base, Lemma margins thin, lying flat, Lemma straight, Stamens 3, Styles 1, Styles 2-fid, deeply 2-branched, Stigmas 2, Fruit - caryopsis, Caryo psis ellipsoid, longitudinally grooved, hilum long-linear.

Annual, loosely tufted. Culms weak, geniculately ascending, occasionally rooting and branching from lower nodes, 15–40 cm tall. Leaf sheaths smooth, glabrous, slightly inflated; leaf blades light green, soft, 3–10 cm, 2–6 mm wide, abaxial surface smooth, glabrous, adaxial surface closely ribbed, scaberulous; ligule 2–5 mm. Panicle narrowly cylindrical, 2–7 cm, pale gray-green. Spikelets elliptic or oblong, 2–3 mm; glumes membranous, smooth, keels ciliate-hispid, lateral veins hispid on lower part, margins connate at base, apices obtuse; lemma equaling or slightly longer than glumes, margins connate below middle, awned from lower 1/4–1/3, apex obtuse; awn included within spikelet or exserted up to 1.2 mm, straight. Anthers orange, 0.5–0.8 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr–Aug. 2n = 14.

Annual or short-lived perennial; culms 10-45 cm high, geniculately ascending and sometimes rooting from the lower nodes. Leaf-blades 2-10 cm long, 2-5 mm wide, glabrous; upper sheaths slightly inflated; ligule 2-5 mm long, obtuse. Panicle 1-6.5 cm long, 3-6 mm wide, cylindrical. Spikelets 1.5-3 mm long; glumes obtuse, ± parallel at the tips, connate at the base, wingless, ciliate on the keel, shortly hairy on the sides; lemma as long as or very slightly longer than the glumes, obtuse, the margins connate for a third to half their length; awn not or only slightly exceeding the lemma tip; anthers 0.8-13 mm long.

2300-2900 m

Alopecurus aequalis subsp. amurensis (Komarov) Hultén; A. aequalis var. amurensis (Komarov) Ohwi; A. aequalis subsp. aristulatus (Michaux) Tzvelev; A. aequalis var. aristulatus (Michaux) Tzvelev; A. amurensis Komarov; A. aristulatus Michaux; A. geniculatus var. aequalis (Sobolewski) Paunero.

The native Short-Awned Foxtail is uncommon in Illinois, occurring in scattered areas across the state (Distribution Map). In addition to North America, this grass also occurs in Eurasia. Habitats include prairie swales, edges of bogs, partially shaded seeps, swamps, low areas along ponds, and ditches. In Illinois, this grass usually occurs in higher quality natural areas, although it sometimes colonizes disturbed areas.

Irrigation ditches, rice fields, damp grasslands, other wet weedy places; below 3500 m.

Very little is known about floral-faunal relationships for Short-Awned Foxtail and other members of its genus. Some common leaf beetles are known to feed on the foliage of these grasses, such as Myochrous denticollis (Southern Corn Leaf Beetle) and Oulema melanopus (Cereal Leaf Beetle). The young foliage is edible to cattle and other hoofed mammalian herbivores, but it becomes less palatable as it matures.

Foodplant / feeds on
Bagous tubulus feeds on Alopecurus aequalis

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

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 16
Specimens with Barcodes: 45
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

The preference is full or partial sun, wet conditions (including shallow standing water), and mucky soil with decaying organic matter. This grass can tolerate shallow standing water during the growing season for up to 2 months. It has a C3 metabolism, preferring cool moist conditions for its growth and development.