Cock's-foot
Dactylis glomerata
Auricles
Absent
Leaf blade
Dull green or greyish-green. Rough, broad and sharply pointed. Folded in flattened shoot, opening later. Strongly keeled.
Description
Large densely tufted perennial 30-120 cm, often forming large tussocks. Coarse-looking grass often bluish-green in colour. Flower head is one-sided, usually as a triangular panicle. Spikelets are small, flattened and condensed into oval-shaped clusters.
Ligule
Long: up to 12 mm. Membranous.
Importance
Widespread grass of meadows, pastures, hedgerows and rough grassland. Frequently planted for game cover. Formerly very widely cultivated.
Cock's-foot grass ligule. Photo © HGCA.
Cock's-foot flower head. Photo © Nigel Cattlion/FLPA RM.
Cock's-Foot