Danthonia decumbens

Danthonia decumbens
	Habitus
	Spikelets
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Danthonia
Species:	D. decumbens
Binomial name
	Danthonia decumbens; (L.) DC.
Synonyms
	Avena spicata All. ex Kunth [Invalid]; Brachatera decumbens (L.) Desv.; Bromus decumbens Koeler; Danthonia decipiens (O.Schwarz & Bassler) Á.Löve & D.Löve; Danthonia glaberrima (Post) Valdés & H.Scholz; Festuca decumbens L.; Melica decumbens (L.) Weber; Melica rigida Wibel [Illegitimate]; Poa decumbens (L.) Scop.; Sieglingia decumbens (L.) Bernh.; Triodia decumbens (L.) P.Beauv.; Triodia glaberrima Post; Triodon decumbens (L.) Baumg. [Invalid];

Danthonia decumbens (formerly Sieglingia decumbens) is a species of grass commonly known as the heath grass,^[2] heath-grass,^[3] or staggers grass^[4] It is a tussock grass native to Europe and adjacent parts of Asia and North Africa. It may also be native to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

Description[]

Danthonia decumbens is a perennial plant with a decumbent habit; it lies on the ground with the tips turned upward.

It has narrow, bright green leaves taper to a sharp point and are rather hairy. A long upper leaf sheath clasps the delicate stem. The stem is 15–30 centimetres (5.9–11.8 in) high and slightly bent at the base, smooth with 1 to 3 nodes.

The ligule consists of a ring of hairs, as in the purple moor grass, Molinia caerulea, except that in this plant each end has a tuft of longer hairs.^[2]

The panicle consists of 4 or 5 large erect glaucous silvery green or purplish awnless spikelets. These are arranged alternately on the upper part of the stem. The bunchgrass flowers in the summer months.

Ecology[]

The plant is found on acid pastures and heathland, on sandy or peat soils, which are also often damp.

The grass, having no domestic forage value, is not grown agriculturally.^[2]

References[]

^ "Danthonia decumbens (L.) DC". The Plant List. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c C. E. Hubbard (1978). Grasses. Revised by J. C. E. Hubbard (3rd ed.). Penguin Books. pp. 350–351. ISBN 978-0-14-013227-4.
^ Stace, Clive, 1997. New Flora of the British Isles. Second edition. p 899.
^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Melica decumbens". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

Rose, Frances, 1974. Grasses, sedges and rushes, pages 20–21

External links[]

Media related to Danthonia decumbens at Wikimedia Commons
Danthonia decumbens in GrassBase, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

[1] "Danthonia decumbens (L.) DC". The Plant List. Retrieved 27 April 2015.

[Hubbard-2] C. E. Hubbard (1978). Grasses. Revised by J. C. E. Hubbard (3rd ed.). Penguin Books. pp. 350–351. ISBN 978-0-14-013227-4.

[3] Stace, Clive, 1997. New Flora of the British Isles. Second edition. p 899.

[4] USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Melica decumbens". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

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