Phleum alpinum

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Phleum alpinum a1.jpg

|genus = Phleum

|species = alpinum

|authority = L.

}}

Phleum alpinum is a species of grass known by the common names alpine cat's-tail,{{BSBI 2007|accessdate=2014-10-17}} alpine timothy{{PLANTS|id=PHAL2|taxon=Phleum alpinum|accessdate=29 September 2015}} and mountain timothy.{{cite book |author=Cathy Rose, Stephen Ingram |title= Rock Creek Wildflowers |year=2015 |publisher=California Native Plant Society Press}}

Distribution

Phleum alpinum has a circumboreal distribution, inhabiting northern areas of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as extending down through the Americas to southern South America. It can be found on islands in the subantarctic region such as South Georgia Island, on which it is one of the most common plant species.Callaghan, T. V. and M. C. Lewis. (1971). The growth of Phleum alpinum L. in contrasting habitats at a sub-Antarctic station. New Phytologist 70:6 1143-54. {{doi|10.1111/j.1469-8137.1971.tb04596.x}}

Image:Phleum alpinum mountain timothy 2clumps.jpg USA]]

Description

Phleum alpinum is a perennial bunchgrass forming loose clumps 20 to 60 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a cylindrical to oval mass of spikelets up to 6 centimeters long and 1.2 wide.

References

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