Gramineae (Poaceae) - grass family
1600 Apeldoorn Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2C1V5 |
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Most grasses have inconspicuous flowers that produce wind-blown pollen that can cause hay fever in some people Avena fatua L., wild oats, folle avione Annual, spreading by seeds; flowering stems 2 to 4 feet (6 to 12 dm.) high; throughout, but most common in the grain fields of the mid-west; grain fields, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe and Asia. A troublesome weed in grain fields. Bromus inermis Leyss., smooth brome, brome inerme Perennial, with creeping rootstocks; flowering stems 2 to 4 feet (6 to 12 dm.) high; common in the mid-west, occasional elsewhere; roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe as a hay and pasture crop. Bromus tectorum L., downy brome, brome des toits Annual or winter annual, reproducing by seeds; flowering stems usually less than 2 feet (6 dm.) high; throughout, but most common in the drier areas of the mid-west and west; overgrazed rangeland, abandoned farmland, around farm and ranch buildings, railway beds, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe. Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Muhl., smooth crab grass, digitaire astringente Annual, reproducing by seeds; usually semi-prostrate; flowering stems 3 to 18 inches (8 to 45 cm.) long; throughout, but most common from southern Quebec and Ontario, southward into the United States; lawns, gardens, roadsides, pastures, and waste places; introduced from Europe. A troublesome weed in lawns. Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop., large crab grass, digitaire sanguine Annual, reproducing by seeds; flowering stems 20 to 40 inches (5 to 10 dm.) long; throughout, but most common in southern Ontario and Quebec and southward into the United States; row crops, vegetable and flower gardens, roadsides and waste places; introduced from Europe. Does not seem able to compete with sod-forming grasses. Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) P.Beauv., barnyard grass, échinochloa pied-de-coq Annual, reproducing by seeds; stems 1 to 4 feet (3 to 12 dm.) long; eastern half of our area; cultivated fields, gardens, barnyards, ditches, riverbanks, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe. Elytrigia repens (L.) Desv. ex B.D.Jacks. [ =Agropyron repens (L.) P.Beauv.], quack grass, chiendent commun Perennial, spreading by seeds and vigorous underground rootstocks; flowering stems 1 to 4 feet (3 to 12 dm.) high; a common and persistent weed throughout; grasslands, cultivated fields, gardens, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe. Hordeum jubatum L., foxtail barley, orge queue-d’écureuil Perennial, spreading by seeds; flowering stems 1 to 2 feet (3 to 6 dm.) high; throughout, but less common east of the Great Lakes; meadows, lawns, ocean shores, dry saline depressions, roadsides, and waste places; native to North America. A very common fringe plant along roadsides in some areas.  Lolium persicum Boiss. & Hohen. ex Boiss., Persian darnel, ivraie de Perse Annual, spreading by seeds; stems 6 to 18 inches (15 to 45 cm.) high; mainly weedy in fields of commercial grasses being grown for seed purposes in the mid-west; introduced from Asia. Panicum capillare L., witch grass, panic capillaire Annual, spreading by seeds; stems 3 inches to 3 feet (8 cm. to 9 dm.) high; throughout, but most troublesome in southern Quebec and Ontario, and southward into the United States; shores of rivers and lakes, cultivated fields, gardens, roadsides, and waste places; native to North America. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (=Phragmites communis Trin.), common reed, roseau commun A tall grass, growing to a height of 18 feet (6 meters). Some populations are native to this Continent, whereas others were introduced from Eurasia. It is a sporadic plant of both natural and artificially disturbed moist habitats throughout our area. Since it is a self-incompatible species, some isolated clones do not produce viable seed. However, these “sterile” clones can still form large genetically uniform, monotypic patches by the horizontal extension of their vigorous underground rhizomes. Common reed is often very invasive, sometimes out-competing all other vegetation. Poa annua L., annual blue grass, pâturin annuel This introduced grass, typically an annual or winter annual, will normally die after it produces seed. Greens-keepers usually taken to stop seed production when it is utilized as a golf-green turf-grass. Annual blue grass plants will often form dense clumps with flowering stems from 3 to 12 inches (8 to 30 cm.) tall. Its leaves are a lighter green than the leaves of Kentucky blue grass and it lacks the underground rhizomes of that grass. Annual blue grass reproduces solely by seed. It grows in a wide range of disturbed habitats both within and outside of our area. It has the ability to tolerate close mowing, making it a particularly troublesome weed in lawns and in turf-grass. Poa pratensis L., Kentucky blue grass, pâturin des prés It is a widespread perennial grass, with flowering stems from 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm.) high. Its roots and rhizomes are mostly in the top 3 inches (7.5 cm.) of the soil. Both native and introduced populations occur within and outside of our area. It can be a native or cultivated plant, a weed or even an invasive plant. It is one of our most popular lawn grasses, being able to withstand mowing and considerable periods of drought. Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult.- yellow foxtail, sétaire glauque An annual plant, with fibrous roots, that reproduces only by means of its seeds. Stems are erect, reaching 3 feet (9 dm.) in height. It is a weed of agronomic crops, turf, of landscapes and of nurseries. Its spikelets have bristles that turn yellow at maturity and the seed head resembles a fox’s tail, thus its name. Found throughout our area, but is most abundant near the west coast and east of the great lakes. Introduced from Europe. Setaria viridis (L.) P.Beauv., green foxtail, sétaire verte Annual, reproducing by seeds; flowering stems from 3 inches to 3 feet (8 cm. to 9 dm.) long; grainfields, gardens, roadsides, and waste places; introduced from Europe. Present throughout our area and is generally more abundant than yellow foxtail. It has become a major pest in the Midwest. Click on a photo to view an enlarged image.
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