Arrhenatherum elatius


Arrhenatherum elatius, with the common names false oat-grass, tall oat-grass, tall meadow oat, onion couch and tuber oat-grass, is a perennial species of grass, native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.
This bunchgrass is often used as an ornamental grass.
It is native to Europe but can be found elsewhere as an introduced species. It is found especially in prairies, at the side of roads and in uncultivated fields. The bulbous subspecies can be a weed of arable land. It is palatable grass for livestock and is used both as forage and fodder.

Description

This coarse grass can grow to tall. The leaves are bright green, broad, slightly hairy, and rough. The ligule is long and smooth edged. The panicle is up to, and the bunched spikelets have projecting and angled awns up to long, green or purplish. The panicles often remain into winter. The spikelets are oblong or gaping. It flowers from June to September. The roots are yellow.
Two subspecies have been described:
Arrhenatherum elatius is a principal species in two UK National Vegetation Classification habitat communities: the very widespread MG1 and the much rarer MG2. This means that it can be found with species such as Dactylis glomerata, and Filipendula ulmaria.
It is found on road verges, along hedges and riverbanks.
It can colonise and stabilise limestone scree, bare calcareous cliffs, maritime shingle and coastal dunes.