Dactylis

Dactylis is a genus of herbaceous plants belonging to the Poaceae family.

Botanical characteristics

Inflorescence in a greenish or violaceous unilateral branching panicle. Compressed spikelets with three to eleven persistent flowers. Unequal glumes, careened, mucronate, with one to five veins, shorter than the flowers. glumes nearly equal; the lower one faired, with several nerves, entretero or bidentate vertex and slightly ridged; the upper mucronate. Flowers with three stamens, terminal and lateral stigmas. Fruit in caryopsis, glabrous, obovate, coniculate on the inside, free of glumes.

Description

It is a tussock perennial plant, with stems up to 1 or 2m. tall, erect or decumbent. The leaves are scabrous and have a 2-10mm ligule. sharp or lacerated The inflorescence is a 1-15cm panicle, with the spikelets grouped in dense groups on erect or patent branches. These 5-9mm spikelets are laterally compressed and bear 2-5 flowers each. The glumes are subequal, keeled, somewhat curved, lanceolate to ovate, long acute, scabrid or ciliate on the keel. The lemma is lanceolate, also scabrid or ciliated. The anthers measure 3 or 4 mm.

Ecological Requirements

It tolerates soils with a pH of 5.6 to 8.4, but its best growth occurs at a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. It does not tolerate wet soils or survive prolonged flooding. It is shade tolerant with the ability to grow under trees. It is more tolerant of heat and drought. Its best forage productions are obtained in the spring and summer, but it decreases in the autumn-winter in temperate regions. Fine-textured soils may be too wet to grow and sow in early spring. In rough land they can be plants in spring or autumn. The slow establishment of cool fall temperatures makes spring preferable for planting in many areas, especially where winter is a threat.

Curiosities

One of the best-known species within this genus is Dactylis glomerata L., which is a highly variable species because it has been studied and investigated for its agricultural use, giving rise to diploid forms and tetraploids that have sometimes been elevated to subspecies. It is used as a hay grass and for pastures due to its high yields and sugar content, sweeter than most other temperate grasses. It is also extensively naturalized in the United States and Australia; in some areas, it has become an invasive species. Many domestic cats, particularly those that live entirely indoors, enjoy eating a small amount of grass every day. Cat grass is claimed to supplement the animal's diet with vitamins and minerals.

Medicinal Uses

It is believed to be estrogenic. It is a popular remedy for the treatment of tumors and kidney and bladder ailments.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 1: 71. 1753. The type species is: Dactylis glomerata L.

Etymology

Dactylis: generic name from the Greek "dactylos" meaning "finger", alluding to the shape of the panicle.

Species

• Dactylis glomerata L.
• Dactylis metlesicsii
• Dactylis hispanica Roth
• Dactylis marina Borrill

Font

1. "LADIGS. Laboratorio de Agromapas Digitales.». Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Consultation on 2005 2009..