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Dactylis glomerata L.

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Family :

Famille :

Poaceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Dactylis altaica Besser (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Dactylis glaucescens Willd. (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Orchardgrass

(English) (Wiersema and León 1999; AOSA 2023; USDA-AMS 2023a; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Cocksfoot (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; Popay 2015; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Cockspur (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Dactyle aggloméré (French) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Dactyle pelotonné (French) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Gramen pelotonné (French) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Knaulgras (German) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Dactilo (Portuguese, Spanish) (Wiersema and León 1999; Popay 2015; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Panasco (Portuguese) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Dactilo aglomerado (Spanish) (Popay 2015)
Pasto orchoro (Spanish) (Popay 2015)
Pasto ovillo (Spanish) (Popay 2015)
Jopillo (Spanish) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Hundäxing (Swedish) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023)
Ya mao (鸭茅 Chinese) (efloras 2023)

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) spikelet (partial) and florets

  • Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) spikelet (partial) and florets

  • Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) floret

  • Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) floret

  • Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) floret

  • Dactylis glomerata floret, palea view

  • Dactylis glomerata floret end with awn

  • Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass) caryopses in embryo view (left) and hilum view (right). Scale in mm.

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Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

  • USA Federal Noxious Weed Seed List

Regulation Notes:

Dactylis glomerata is classified as a Restricted Noxious Weed Seed or Undesirable Grass Seed in several US states when found as a contaminant in commercial seed lots of lawn and turf seed and mixtures of such seeds (USDA-AMS 2023b).

Distribution :

Répartition :

Dactylis glomerata is native to Eurasia and North Africa (Putnam & Orloff 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023). This species has been introduced in many temperate areas of the world as a pasture species and has become naturalized in many regions including East Tropical and Southern Africa, Australasia, the United States, Canada, Central America, and Southern South America (Popay 2015; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023; USDA-NRCS 2023).

Habitat and Crop Association :

Habitat et Cultures Associées :

Dactylis glomerata can be found in orchards, meadows, pastures, woodlands, in agronomic crops, in turf and lawns, along roadsides, and in other disturbed places (DiTomaso and Healy 2007; Putnam & Orloff 2014). This grass species is more shade tolerant than other forage grasses and has been found in the understory of Quercus spp. (oak) forests (Sullivan 1992; Putnam & Orloff 2014). In Australia, D. glomerata is invasive in natural habitats, suppressing growth of native forbs and grasses (Popay 2015).

Dactylis glomerata is a common seed lot contaminant of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (tall fescue) and other turfgrass seed (Bush et al. 2006; Yelverton 2017) and an undesirable contaminant in commercially available lawn and turf seed in the northeastern United States (USDA-AMS 2023b).

Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

Dactylis glomerata is cultivated in northwestern Europe, Australasia, Japan, India, as well as in the northeastern and Pacific northwestern portions of the United States (Putnam & Orloff 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2023). The primary use of D. glomerata is as a forage crop for hay, pasture, or silage (Alderson and Sharp 1995). In the northern United States, D. glomerata is considered one of the best livestock forage grasses for intensive rotational grazing systems (Bush et al. 2006). Deer, elk, and bighorn sheep will feed on D. glomerata when available, and this species may also be used, in combination with legumes, for conservation plantings providing food for birds and small mammals, and cover, escape, and nesting by birds (Sullivan 1992; Bush et al. 2006).

Although the plant does not produce rhizomes, it does produce a dense root network (mostly within the upper 0.6 m of the soil surface) that makes it a good choice for controlling soil erosion, such as in mine sites, logged forests, burn areas, and ski slopes (Sullivan 1992; Bush et al. 2006; DiTomaso and Healy 2007). There are currently more than 400 recognized named varieties of orchardgrass (D. glomerata) registered with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-AMS 2023c).

Duration of Life Cycle :

Durée du cycle vital:

Perennial

Dispersal Unit Type :

Type d’unité de dispersion :

Floret and caryopsis

General Information

RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

Dactylis glomerata is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass that spreads only via seed (Bush et al., 2006; DiTomaso and Healy 2007). It does not produce spreading rhizomes but has an ability to form numerous tillers at the base of the plant resulting in a bunched growth habit (Casler and Undersander 2019). This species is subject to damage from overgrazing; therefore, it is recommended to use a rotation-deferred grazing management system to allow for adequate regrowth of the stand over the grazing season (Bush et al. 2006; Casler and Undersander 2019).

D. glomerata is an early maturing grass, and some cultivated varieties may mature too early to be suitable for planting with the later maturing Medicago sativa (alfalfa) for hay production, while other varieties have been bred to mature later for high-quality M. sativa – D. glomerata (alfalfa-orchardgrass) hay (Bush et al. 2006).

As a contaminant in turf, D. glomerata forms unsightly coarse leafy clumps, but these can be eventually eliminated by close mowing (Bush et al. 2006; Popay 2015).

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Identification

Identification

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  • Spikelet

    Size

    • Spikelet length: 5 – 9 mm (Barkworth et al. 2007; eFloras 2023)
    • Glumes are shorter than the florets.

    Shape

    • Spikelet oval to wedge-shaped; laterally compressed.
    • Glume tips may extend into a very short awn.

    Surface Texture

    • Spikelet texture thin and papery, hairy on the edges.
    • Glumes long hairy on the keels.

    Colour

    •  Spikelet colour pale yellowish-brown, sometimes green or purple tinged (eFloras 2023).

    Other Features

    • Spikelet composed of 2 – 6 florets; lower florets generally fertile, upper florets may be empty (sterile).
    • Spikelet disarticulation occurs above the glumes and usually between florets (glumes may occasionally remain attached to basal floret).

    Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) spikelet (partial) and florets

  • Floret

    Size

    • Floret length*: 4.0 – 6.5 mm (average 5.4 mm); width (palea view)*: 0.8 – 1.1 mm (average 0.9 mm); thickness (lateral view)*: 0.8 – 1.5 mm (average 0.8 mm).
    • Palea slightly shorter than lemma.
    • Awn length*: 0.06 – 1.5 mm (average 0.8 mm).
    • Rachilla length*: 0.7 – 1.2 mm (average 1.0 mm), up to one-fourth the length of the floret.
    *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 florets in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22651

    Additional floret measurements from the literature:
    Lemma length 4 – 7 mm; awn up to 1.5 mm (eFloras 2023).
    Floret length 6.5 – 7.5 mm; width 1.1 – 1.3 mm (Bojňanský and Fargašová 2007).
    Lemma length 4 – 8 mm, tapering to a short awn (Barkworth et al. 2007).

    Shape

    • Floret boat-shape, laterally compressed, three-sided in cross-section.
    • Floret strongly keeled, slightly twisted longitudinally.
    • Lemma tip tapering to a short awn.
    • Rachilla cylindrical, flared at tip.
    • Callus blunt

    Surface Texture

    • Floret papery, covered with short to medium length upward pointing hairs.
    • Lemma margins hyaline, covered with short to medium length upward pointing hairs, and with long ciliate hairs along keel.
    • Area between palea keels with sparse short hairs.
    • Palea keels prominent with short closely spaced short hairs (palea teeth).
    • Rachilla sparsely hairy.
    • Callus smooth

    Colour

    • Floret dull, light yellowish-brown coloured, sometimes green-tinged.

    Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) floret

  • Caryopsis

    Size

    • Caryopsis length*: 2.6 – 3.8 mm (average 3.3 mm); width*: 0.6 – 1.0 mm (average 0.8 mm); thickness (lateral view)*: 0.6 – 0.9 mm (average 0.8 mm).
    *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 caryopses in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22651

    Additional caryopsis measurements from the literature:
    Caryopsis length: 2.5 – 2.9 mm; width 0.8 – 1.0 mm (Bojňanský and Fargašová 2007).
    Caryopsis length 1.96 – 2.79 mm (Nesbitt 2006).

    Shape

    • Caryopsis narrowly teardrop shaped to oblong-oval, laterally compressed, three-sided in cross-section.
    • Caryopsis usually with broad longitudinal groove on the hilum side of the caryopsis, slightly longitudinally grooved on lateral surfaces.

    Surface Texture

    • Caryopsis with longitudinal striations, the surface smooth or wrinkled, hairless.

    Colour

    • Caryopsis pale brown coloured.

    Other Features

    • Hilum circular, near base of longitudinal groove on side opposite the embryo.

    Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass) caryopses in embryo view (left) and hilum view (right). Scale in mm.

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  • Embryo

    Size

    • Embryo length*: 0.7 – 1.0 mm (average 0.9 mm).
    • Embryo about one-quarter the length of caryopsis.
    *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 embryos in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22651

    Shape

    • Embryo oval to teardrop shaped.

    Endosperm

    • Endosperm soft (Terrell 1971, Nesbitt 2006).
    • The caryopsis is filled with soft endosperm and be easily damaged by squeezing with forceps.

    Other Features

    • Embryo in lateral position (Martin 1946)

    Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass) caryopses in embryo view (left) and hilum view (right). Scale in mm.

Identification Tips

CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

Florets of Dactylis glomerata are boat-shaped, strongly keeled, three-sided, slightly twisted, the floret tip is sharply pointed or short awned, the lemma is covered with upward pointed hairs and has long ciliate hairs along the keel. The florets are quite distinctive and are rarely confused with other species.

Additional Botany Information

AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

Flowers/Inflorescence

  • The inflorescence is a pyramid shaped panicle (upper branches shorter and lower branches longer), 4 – 20 cm long (Barkworth et al. 2007), with spikelet clusters attached on one side, near the tip of each erect or spreading branch.

Vegetative Features

  • Depending on cultivar and environmental conditions, plants can grow up to 2 meters or more.
  • Stems are flattened, growing erect or with a bend at the base, and are organized in bunches.
  • Plants are described as sometimes having short rhizomes (Barkworth et al. 2007; DiTomaso and Healy 2007) or no rhizomes, but instead having bunches of profuse tillers (Casler and Undersander 2019).
  • The root system is fibrous.
  • The leaves are usually dark green to bluish green, mostly basal, V-shaped to flat, 6 – 30 cm long and up to 10 mm wide (Barkworth et al. 2007; DiTomaso and Healy 2007; efloras 2023).
Note: There is a wide diversity of varietal forms within D. glomerata, some upright and others more spreading, leaf colours can include light or dark green, blue-green, yellow, golden, and variegated (Putnam and Orloff 2014; Popay 2015).

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Reference(s)

Référence(s)

Alderson, J. & W. C. Sharp. 1995. Grass Varieties in the United States, USDA Agric. Handbook 170, rev. ed. CRC Press.

Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA). 2023. Rules for Testing Seeds, Vol. 3: Uniform Classification of Weed and Crop Seeds. Association of Official Seed Analysts, Wichita, KS, USA.

Barkworth, M. E., Capels, K. M., Long, S., and Piep, M. B. (Eds.). 2007. Flora of North America Volume 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford University Press, New York, New York.

Bojňanský, V. and Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of Seeds and Fruits of Central and East-European Flora: The Carpathian Mountains Region. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

Bush, T., Ogle, D., St. John, L., Stannard, M. and Jensen, K. B. 2006. Orchardgrass – Dactylis glomerata L. Plant Guide. USDA-NRCS. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_dagl.pdf.  Accessed December 18, 2023.

Casler, M. D. & Undersander, D. J. 2019. Chapter 2 – Identification of Temperate Pasture Grasses and Legumes: In Sharpe, P. (Ed.). Horse Pasture Management: 11-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812919-7.00002-0.

DiTomaso, J. M. and Healy, E. A. 2007. Weeds of California and Other Western States. Vol. 2: Geraniaceae – Zygophyllaceae. Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3488. University of California, Oakland, CA.

eFloras. 2023. Flora of China. Dactylis glomerata. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200025114  Accessed December 18, 2023.

International Seed Morphology Association (ISMA). 2020. Method for seed size measurement. Version 1.0. ISMA Publication Guide. https://www.idseed.org/authors/details/method_for_seed_size_measurement.html.

Martin, A. C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. The American Midland Naturalist 36(3):513-660.

Nesbitt, M. 2006. Identification Guide for Near Eastern Grass Seeds. Institute of Archaeology, University College London. Gordon Square, London, UK.

Popay, I. 2015. Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot). CABI Invasive Species Compendium. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.17618.  Accessed December 18, 2023.

Putnam, D. H. and Orloff, S. B. 2014. Forage Crops: In Van Alfen, N. (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems: 381-405. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-52512-3.00142-X.

Sullivan, Janet. 1992. Dactylis glomerata. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/graminoid/dacglo/all.html  Accessed December 18, 2023.

Terrell, E. E. 1971. Survey of occurrences of liquid or soft endosperm in grass genera. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 98(5):264-268.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). 2023a. Federal Seed Act Regulations. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-K/part-201?toc=1  Accessed December 13, 2023.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). 2023b. State Noxious-Weed Seed Requirements Recognized in the Administration of the Federal Seed Act. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/StateNoxiousWeedsSeedList.pdf  Accessed December 13, 2023.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). 2023c. Seed Variety Name Clearance Service. https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/seed-testing/applying-for-variety  Accessed December 18, 2023

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service-National Plant Germplasm System (USDA-ARS-NPGS). 2023. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=13114 . Accessed December 15, 2023.

United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). 2023. The PLANTS Database. http://plants.usda.gov  Accessed December 19, 2023.

Wiersema, J. H. and León, B. 1999. World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Yelverton, F. 2017. Orchardgrass – Turf Files. NC State Extension. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/orchardgrass#section_heading_11279.  Accessed December 25, 2023.

Author(s)

AUTEUR(S)

Deborah J. Lionakis Meyer, California Department of Food and Agriculture (retired)

Acknowledgments  The author wishes to thank the following from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): reviewers Jennifer Neudorf and Angela Salzl for their suggestions for fact sheet improvement and Krishan Shah, former student, for his assistance with literature search and summary.

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Last updated
on 2023-03-27

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