Poaceae
Grass Family
Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv.
- Stem: perennial; sod-forming; 3’ to 5’ tall; smooth.
- Leaves: sheath smooth with prominent veins; ligule 1/8” tall, thin; blade 12” by 1/4”, long-tapered to a sharp point, smooth.
- Inflorescence: flower stalk much branched, not widely spreading, 8” long.
- Spikelets: 3/32” long, glumes purple-tipped early; longer than the lemma, a tuft of hairs at the base of the single floret; flowering from mid- to late June.
- Fruits: 1/16” long; fruiting begins in late June; fruits begin dropping from the glumes in early July.
- Habitat: common on moist to wet prairies and marshes; often growing in dense patches.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
Can be found in these counties:
