Alopecurus aequalis

{{Speciesbox

| image = AlopecurusAequalis1.JPG

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Lansdown, R.V. |date=2014 |title=Alopecurus aequalis |volume=2014 |page=e.T164156A1025862 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T164156A1025862.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}

| status2 = {{TNCStatus}}

| status2_system = TNC

| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=NatureServe Explorer|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.152667/Alopecurus_aequalis|access-date=2021-05-27}}

| genus = Alopecurus

| species = aequalis

| authority = Sobol.

| synonyms = * Alopecurus aequalis subsp. aristulatus (Michx.) Tzvelev

Alopecurus aristulatus Michx.
Alopecurus fulvus Sm.
Alopecurus geniculatus subsp. fulvus (Sm.) Trab.

}}

Alopecurus aequalis is a common species of grass known as shortawn foxtail or orange foxtail.{{BSBI 2007 |accessdate=2014-10-17 }} 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 as the margins of ponds and ditches.{{Cite web|title=Alopecurus aequalis {{!}} Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora|url=https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/alopecurus-aequalis|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.brc.ac.uk|language=en}}

Description

This perennial bunchgrass is variable in appearance. It produces bunches of erect stems between 20 and about 70 centimeters in height.{{Cite web|title=Alopecurus aequalis (Shortawn Foxtail): Minnesota Wildflowers|url=https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/grass-sedge-rush/shortawn-foxtail|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.minnesotawildflowers.info|language=en}} The leaves are 2–15 cm long; the basal leaves are the longest and the few stem leaves are long-sheathing. The cylindrical inflorescence is a few centimeters long and blooms with white to yellow to bright orange anthers about 0.5-0.8 mm long.{{Cite web|title=Alopecurus aequalis in Flora of China @ efloras.org|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200024817|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.efloras.org}}

The leaf blades are narrow, about 1–8 mm wide. The flowers are attached to branches, rather than the main axis of the inflorescence.{{Cite web|title=Alopecurus aequalis (short-awned meadow-foxtail): Go Botany|url=https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/alopecurus/aequalis/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org}}

Ecology

A. aequalis has a C3 metabolism, grows best in full to partial sun, and can tolerate shallow standing water for up to two months during the growing season.{{Cite web|title=Short-Awned Foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis)|url=https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/sa_foxtail.html|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.illinoiswildflowers.info}}

One variety of this species, var. sonomensis, is a rare California endemic grass which is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States.{{cite web|url=http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr3169.pdf|title=Determination of Endangered Status for Nine Plants From the Grasslands or Mesic Areas of the Central Coast of California|work=Federal Register|publisher=United States Fish and Wildlife Service|accessdate=November 6, 2013|date= October 22, 1997}}

Alopecurus aequalis

Description

Ecology

References

External links