''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread

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 n ...

of plants in the

grass family 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 and ...

. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelag ...

, northern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on various islands. Foxtails can be

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

. They grow in tufts. They have flat leaves and blunt ligules (a small flap at the junction of leaf and stem). Their inflorescence is a dense

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 In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is ...

(a branching head without terminal

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

) with 1-flowered

spikelets 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 ...

. A few, particularly ''A. myosuroides'', are considered

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

s, others are very decorative and are used in bouquets of dried flowers. ; Species * ''

Alopecurus aequalis ''Alopecurus aequalis'' is a common species of grass known as shortawn foxtail or orange foxtail. It is native to much of the temperate Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America. It is most commonly found in areas near fresh water, such ...

'' – Orange foxtail, shortawn foxtail – Eurasia, Americas * ''

Alopecurus albovii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Caucasus * ''

Alopecurus anatolicus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – eastern Turkey * ''

Alopecurus apiatus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran * ''

Alopecurus arundinaceus ''Alopecurus arundinaceus'', the creeping meadow foxtail or creeping foxtail, is a rhizomatous perennial species in the Grass family (Poaceae). Native to Eurasia and northern Africa, and widely introduced elsewhere, this sod forming grass is us ...

'' – Reed foxtail, creeping foxtail, creeping meadow foxtail – Eurasia, North Africa * ''

Alopecurus aucheri ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Caucasus, Turkey, Iran * ''

Alopecurus baptarrhenius ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Ethiopia * ''

Alopecurus bonariensis ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Argentina, Uruguay * ''

Alopecurus borii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on vari ...

'' – Turkmenistan * ''

Alopecurus bornmuelleri ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Palestine * ''

Alopecurus brachystachus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on vari ...

'' – Russia, China, Mongolia * ''

Alopecurus bulbosus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Bulbous foxtail – Mediterranean, western Europe * ''

Alopecurus carolinianus ''Alopecurus carolinianus'' is a species of grass known by the common names Carolina foxtail and tufted foxtail. Distribution It is native to much of North America, including most of the United States and western Canada. It may be an introduced ...

'' – tufted meadow foxtail – US, western Canada * ''

Alopecurus creticus ''Alopecurus creticus'', the Cretan meadow foxtail, is a species of foxtail grass. It is a bunchgrass native to Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, the east Aegean Islands, Crete and Turkey. It can be found in marshes and wet places nea ...

'' – Greece, Turkey, Balkans * ''

Alopecurus dasyanthus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Caucasus, Iran * ''

Alopecurus davisii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' –

Samos Island Samos (, also ; el, Σάμος ) is a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a separate ...

in Greece * ''

Alopecurus geniculatus ''Alopecurus geniculatus'' is a species of grass known by the common name water foxtail or marsh foxtail. It is native to much of Eurasia and introduced into North America, South America, and Australia. It grows in moist areas. ''Alopecurus geni ...

'' – Bent foxtail, marsh meadow foxtail – Algeria, Eurasia * ''

Alopecurus gerardii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Mediterranean * ''

Alopecurus glacialis ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan * ''

Alopecurus × haussknechtianus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on vari ...

'' – central + northwestern Europe * ''

Alopecurus heliochloides ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Chile * ''

Alopecurus himalaicus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Himalayas, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia,

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

* '' Alopecurus hitchcockii'' – Peru, Bolivia,

Jujuy San Salvador de Jujuy (), commonly known as Jujuy and locally often referred to as San Salvador, is the capital and largest city of Jujuy Province in northwest Argentina. Also, it is the seat of the Doctor Manuel Belgrano Department. It lies near ...

* ''

Alopecurus japonicus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – China, Japan, Korea * ''

Alopecurus laguroides ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Caucasus, Turkey * '' Alopecurus lanatus'' – Turkey * ''

Alopecurus longiaristatus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' –

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...

Primorye Primorsky Krai (russian: Приморский край, r=Primorsky kray, p=prʲɪˈmorskʲɪj kraj), informally known as Primorye (, ), is a federal subject (a krai) of Russia, located in the Far East region of the country and is a part of the ...

Khabarovsk Khabarovsk ( rus, Хабaровск, a=Хабаровск.ogg, r=Habárovsk, p=xɐˈbarəfsk) is the largest city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China–Russia border, at the confluence of th ...

* ''

Alopecurus magellanicus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – northern Eurasia, North + South America, Falkland Is,

South Georgia South Georgia ( es, Isla San Pedro) is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies around east of the Falkland Islands. Stretching in the east ...

* ''

Alopecurus × marssonii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Ukraine * ''

Alopecurus mucronatus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia an ...

'' – Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan * ''

Alopecurus myosuroides ''Alopecurus myosuroides'' is an annual grass, native to Eurasia, found in moist meadows, deciduous forests, and on cultivated and waste land. It is also known as slender meadow foxtail, black-grass, twitch grass, and black twitch. Description I ...

'' – Slender meadow foxtail, black grass, twitch grass, black twitch – Eurasia, North Africa * ''

Alopecurus nepalensis ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Himalayas, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan * ''

Alopecurus × plettkei ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands * '' Alopecurus ponticus'' – Caucasus * ''

Alopecurus pratensis ''Alopecurus pratensis'', known as the meadow foxtail or the field meadow foxtail, is a perennial grass belonging to the grass family (Poaceae). It is native to Europe and Asia. This common plant is found on grasslands, especially on neutral so ...

'' –

meadow foxtail ''Alopecurus pratensis'', known as the meadow foxtail or the field meadow foxtail, is a perennial grass belonging to the grass family (Poaceae). It is native to Europe and Asia. This common plant is found on grasslands, especially on neutral so ...

– Eurasia from Azores to Mongolia * ''

Alopecurus rendlei ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – central + southern Europe, Algeria, Libya, Turkey * ''

Alopecurus saccatus ''Alopecurus saccatus'' is a species of grass known by the common name Pacific foxtail, or Pacific meadow foxtail. It is native the west coast of the United States from Washington to California, where it grows in moist areas at low elevations. ...

'' – Pacific foxtail – United States ( WA OR ID CA),

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

* '' Alopecurus setarioides'' – France, Greece, Italy, Balkans, Turkey * ''

Alopecurus textilis ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia an ...

'' – Turkey, Caucasus, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan * ''

Alopecurus turczaninovii ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Siberia * ''

Alopecurus × turicensis ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – France, Switzerland * ''

Alopecurus utriculatus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on var ...

'' – Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine * ''

Alopecurus vaginatus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on v ...

'' – Crimea, Caucasus, Turkey, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan * '' Alopecurus × winklerianus'' – France, Switzerland, Germany, Poland ; formerly included Numerous species once considered part of ''Alopecurus'' but now regarded as better suited to other genera: ''

Agrostis ''Agrostis'' (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass. Species * ''Agrostis aequivalvi'' (A ...

Chaetopogon ''Chaetopogon'' is a genus of European plants in the grass family. ;Species The only known species is ''Chaetopogon fasciculatus'' native to Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Croatia. ;formerly included see ''Polypogon'' *''Chaetopogon creticus - P ...

Cornucopiae ''Cornucopiae'' is a genus of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern plants in the grass family. Common name is hooded grass. Species *'' Cornucopiae alopecuroides'' L. - Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel *'' Cornucopiae cucullatum'' L. - Italy, ...

Crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and ...

Koeleria ''Koeleria'' is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found on all continents except Antarctica and on various oceanic islands. It includes species known generally as Junegrasses. The genus was named after German botanist ...

Milium

Muhlenbergia ''Muhlenbergia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The genus is named in honor of the German-American amateur botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg (1753-1815). Many of the species are known by the common name muhly. The greatest ...

Pennisetum ''Pennisetum'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. They are known commonly as fountaingrasses (fountain grasses).Perotis

Phleum ''Phleum'' (timothy) is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa, with one species (''P. alpinum'') also in North and South America. They are tufted grasses growing to 20� ...

Polypogon ''Polypogon'' is a nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known beard grass or rabbitsfoot grass. Description ''Polypogon'' species vary in appearance; some are erect, while others drape over the ground in waves. Ma ...

Rostraria ''Rostraria'' is a genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family, native primarily to Eurasia and North Africa with one species native to South America. Hairgrass is a common name. These grasses are sometimes included in genus ''Koeleria''. ; Sp ...

Setaria ''Setaria'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. The name is derived from the Latin word ''seta'', meaning "bristle" or "hair", which refers to the bristly spikelets. The genus includes over 100 species distributed in many tr ...

Tribolium''

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment

USDA Plants Profile

Grass Manual Genus Treatment
{{Taxonbar, from=Q158104 Poaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

See also

References

External links