Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski

  • Authority

    Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

  • Family

    Poaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski

  • Description

    Species Description - Strongly rhizomatous, green or occasionally glaucous, 5–10 dm, the culms hollow at anthesis; lvs mostly flat, 3–10+ mm wide, usually with scattered hairs above, the numerous slender veins ca 0.2 mm apart; spikes erect, 8–17 cm, the middle internodes 4–7 mm; rachis- joints usually flat on one side and rounded on the other; spikelets 10–18 mm, 3–8-fld, disarticulating below the glumes; glumes about half as long as the spikelet, 5–7-veined, lanceolate, acute and usually with an awn 0.5–4 mm; lemmas 7–10 mm, 5-veined, glabrous to apically scaberulous, tapering to a point or a short, straight awn to 5(–10) mm; anthers 4–5.5 mm; 2n=42. Native of Eurasia and possibly our Atlantic coast, now widespread as a weed in moderately moist, disturbed sites throughout most of the U.S. and Can. (Agropyron r.; Elymus r.) A probable hybrid with Elymus trachycaulus has been called Agropyron ×pseudorepens; the concept of Agropyron is now restricted to the crested wheatgrasses.

  • Common Names

    quack-grass