''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

s in the grass

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Poaceae Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' generally occur at higher elevations. These tufted perennials usually have hairless narrow

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

. The

ligule A ligule (from "strap", variant of ''lingula'', from ''lingua'' "tongue") is a thin outgrowth at the junction of leaf and leafstalk of many grasses (Poaceae) and sedges. A ligule is also a strap-shaped extension of the corolla, such as that of a ...

s are usually blunt. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are forme ...

forms a

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

. Some may be reed-like. The plants may be rhizomatous (underground stems with shoots), stoloniferous (with runners), or caespitose (growing in tufts or clumps). The bisexual

spikelet A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses, sedges and some other Monocots. Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet that ...

s have a single floret and generally they are purple or purple-brown. The spikelets are clustered into inflorescences, which usually develop in early- to mid-summer on long culms ( = stems). Many species of ''Calamagrostis'' are morphologically similar, but they generally occur in distinct habitats, and they have unique geographical distributions. Given the subtle distinctions between many closely related taxa, there are several species complexes that could benefit from additional systematic study. Even the generic boundaries of the genus are controversial. For example, species in the genus '' Deyeuxia'', distributed largely in the southern hemisphere are morphologically very similar to species of ''Calamagrostis''. It may be appropriate to recognize all of these species in a single genus, but this will require detailed scientific study of DNA of species from around the world. Some ''Calamagrostis'' can be very decorative, and are widely cultivated largely in northern

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

zones. The species ''Calamagrostis brachytricha'' and the cultivar ''Calamagrostis'' × ''acutiflora'' 'Karl Foerster' are recipients of the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. The word "Calamagrostis" is derived from the Greek word ''kalamos'' (reed) and ''agrostis'' (a kind of grass).

Species

''Calamagrostis'' contains the following recognised species: *''

Calamagrostis abnormis ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' (Hook.f.) U.Shukla *''

Calamagrostis acuminata ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' (Vickery) Govaerts * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''acutiflora'' (Schrad.) DC. *''

Calamagrostis affinis ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' (M.Gray) Govaerts *''

Calamagrostis ajanensis ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' Kharkev. & Prob. *''

Calamagrostis alajica ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' Litv. *''

Calamagrostis alba ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' (J.Presl) Steud. *''

Calamagrostis albiflora ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

Calamagrostis canadensis ''Calamagrostis canadensis'' is a species of grass, having three or more varieties, in the family Poaceae. It is known variously by the common names of bluejoint, bluejoint reedgrass, marsh reedgrass, Canadian reedgrass, meadow pinegrass, and ma ...

Calamagrostis hedbergii ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' Melderis *'' Calamagrostis henryi'' (Rendle) P.C.Kuo & S.L.Lu ''ex'' J.L.Yang *'' Calamagrostis heterophylla'' (Wedd.) Pilg. *'' Calamagrostis hieronymi'' Hack. *'' Calamagrostis hillebrandii'' (Munro ''ex'' Hillebr.) C.L.Hitchc. *'' Calamagrostis hirta'' (Sodiro ''ex'' Mille) Laegaard *'' Calamagrostis holciformis'' Jaub. & Spach *'' Calamagrostis holmii'' Lange *''

Calamagrostis howellii ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

'' Vasey *'' Calamagrostis hupehensis'' (Rendle) Chase *'' Calamagrostis imbricata'' (Vickery) Govaerts *'' Calamagrostis inaequalis'' (Vickery) Govaerts *'' Calamagrostis inexpansa'' A.Gray *'' Calamagrostis insperata'' Swallen *''

Calamagrostis intermedia ''Calamagrostis intermedia'' is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is native to South America, growing in high elevation grasslands and forest clearings. Its range extends from Colombia to Argentina. Description ''Calamagrostis interm ...

Calamagrostis nutkaensis ''Calamagrostis nutkaensis'' is a species of grass known by the common names Pacific reedgrass and Nootka reedgrass. It is native to western North America from Alaska to central California, where it is mainly a coastal species growing in moist ...

'' (J.Presl) Steud. *'' Calamagrostis obtusata'' Trin. *'' Calamagrostis ophitidis'' (Howell) Nygren *'' Calamagrostis orbignyana'' (Wedd.) Pilg. *'' Calamagrostis orizabae'' (Rupr. ''ex'' E.Fourn.) Beal *'' Calamagrostis ovata'' (J.Presl) Steud. * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''paradoxa'' Lipsky *'' Calamagrostis parsana'' (Bor) M.Dogan *'' Calamagrostis parviseta'' (Vickery) Reeder *'' Calamagrostis patagonica'' (Speg.) Makloskie *'' Calamagrostis pavlovii'' (Roshev.) Roshev. *'' Calamagrostis perplexa'' Scribn. *'' Calamagrostis petelotii'' (Hitchc.) Govaerts *'' Calamagrostis pickeringii'' A.Gray *'' Calamagrostis pinetorum'' Swallen *'' Calamagrostis pisinna'' Swallen *'' Calamagrostis pittieri'' Hack. *'' Calamagrostis planifolia'' (Kunth) Trin. ''ex'' Steud. *'' Calamagrostis poluninii'' T.J.Sørensen *'' Calamagrostis polycephala'' Vaniot *'' Calamagrostis polygama'' (Griseb.) Parodi * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''ponojensis'' Montell *''

Calamagrostis porteri ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' general ...

'' A.Gray * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''prahliana'' Torges *'' Calamagrostis preslii'' (Kunth) Hitchc. *'' Calamagrostis pringlei'' Beal *'' Calamagrostis przevalskyi'' Tzvelev * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''pseudodeschampsioides'' Tzvelev *'' Calamagrostis pseudophragmites'' (Haller f.) Koeler *'' Calamagrostis pungens'' Tovar *''

Calamagrostis purpurascens ''Calamagrostis purpurascens'', is a perennial grass commonly known as purple reedgrass, purple pinegrass, or alpine reedgrass. It grows 30 to tall. Description ''Calamagrostis purpurascens'' is a large, clump forming, perennial grass; growing ...

'' R.Br. *'' Calamagrostis purpurea'' (Trin.) Trin. *'' Calamagrostis pusilla'' Reeder *'' Calamagrostis quadriseta'' (Labill.) Spreng. *'' Calamagrostis radicans'' Vaniot *'' Calamagrostis ramonae'' Escalona *'' Calamagrostis rauhii'' Tovar *'' Calamagrostis recta'' (Kunth) Trin. ''ex'' Steud. *'' Calamagrostis reflexa'' (Vickery) Govaerts *'' Calamagrostis reitzii'' Swallen * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''rigens'' Lindgr. *'' Calamagrostis rigescens'' (J.Presl) Scribn. *'' Calamagrostis rigida'' (Kunth) Trin. ''ex'' Steud. *'' Calamagrostis rodwayi'' (Vickery) Govaerts *'' Calamagrostis rosea'' (Griseb.) Hack. *''

Calamagrostis rubescens ''Calamagrostis rubescens'' is a species of grass known by the common name pinegrass. Distribution It is native to western North America, including Canada from British Columbia to Manitoba and the United States from California to Colorado. It ...

'' Buckley *'' Calamagrostis rupestris'' Trin. *'' Calamagrostis sachalinensis'' F.Schmidt *'' Calamagrostis sajanensis'' Malyschev *'' Calamagrostis salina'' Tzvelev *'' Calamagrostis scaberula'' Swallen *'' Calamagrostis scabrescens'' Griseb. *'' Calamagrostis scabriflora'' Swallen *'' Calamagrostis sclerantha'' Hack. *'' Calamagrostis sclerophylla'' (Stapf) Hitchc. *'' Calamagrostis scopulorum'' M.E.Jones *''

Calamagrostis scotica ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' gen ...

Calamagrostis vulcanica ''Calamagrostis'' (reed grass or smallweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae, with about 260 species that occur mainly in temperate regions of the globe. Towards equatorial latitudes, species of ''Calamagrostis'' general ...

'' Swallen *'' Calamagrostis yanyuanensis'' J.L.Yang * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''yatabei'' Maxim. *'' Calamagrostis youngii'' (Hook.f.) Buchanan *'' Calamagrostis zenkeri'' (Trin.) Davidse * ''Calamagrostis'' × ''zerninensis'' Lüderw.

References

External links

Grass Genera of the World
{{Taxonbar, from=Q161134 Poaceae genera