June grass
Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) J.A. Schultes
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Morphology
- Culm
- Erect, hollow, finely hairy below inflorescences.
- Blades
- Mostly basal, flat or rolled inward, 1 to 7 inches long, about 1/10 inch wide, erect or stiffly ascending, glabrous or hairy, finely ribbed beneath, coarsely ribbed above; tips boat-shaped.
- Sheath
- Mostly longer than internodes, distinctly veined, lower portion hairy, collar margins long-hairy.
- Ligule
- Membranous, whitish, irregularly notched.
- Inflorescence
- Panicles, dense, erect, 1.5 to 6 inches tall, sometimes interrupted, tapered toward tips, minutely hairy; branches spreading or ascending at flowering, contracting later.
- Spikelets
- 2-4-flowered, flattened laterally, to 1/4 inch long; glumes about equal in length, unlike in shape; lemmas slightly longer than glumes; tips pointed, rarely awned.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Dry upland prairies and open woods.
- Distribution
- Throughout except southwest corner of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Forage Value
- June grass is a good forage grass but plants usually are scattered, leading to low utilization by livestock.
Additional Notes
Comments
Tufted. June grass varies greatly in size, inflorescence shape, and amount of pubescence. June grass was named for Georg Ludwig Koeler, (1765-1807), a professor in Germany and a student of grasses.
Synonyms
Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.
Scientific Name: Koeleria pyramidata
Full Citation: Koeleria pyramidata Beauv.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Grass
- Family
- Poaceae - Grass Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 8-24 inches
- Last Updated
- 2021-08-27
Flowering Period
Blooms: May, June, July