Scientific name Holcus mollis Rank Species | Genus Holcus Higher classification Holcus | |
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Similar Holcus, Grasses, Holcus lanatus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Deschampsia | ||
Holcus mollis creeping soft grass
Holcus mollis, known as creeping soft grass or creeping velvet grass, is a species of grass, native to Europe and western Asia.
Contents
- Holcus mollis creeping soft grass
- Using holcus mollis as ground cover
- Characteristics
- Insect foodplant
- Status as a weed
- Varieties and hybridisation
- References
Using holcus mollis as ground cover
Characteristics
Holcus mollis is a rhizomatous perennial grass found in woods and hedgerows, growing to 50 centimetres (20 in) tall. It has rhizomes that occur around 5 cm (2.0 in) deep in soil or sometimes deeper. Rhizome growth occurs in the period May to November but is fastest from mid-June to mid-July. The rhizomes have many dormant buds that do not develop unless the rhizomes are disturbed and then fresh aerial shoots may arise from the broken fragments. It flowers from June to July.
The main distinguishing characteristics from H. lanatus are the presence of rhizomes, and the bearded nodes or 'hairy knees' on the culm.
Insect foodplant
The caterpillars of some Lepidoptera use it as a food plant, e.g. the Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola).
Status as a weed
In a survey of weeds in conventional cereals in central southern England in 1982, it was found in 1% of winter barley but not at all in winter wheat or spring barley.
Each small piece of rhizome is capable of developing into a new plant. Research shows that within 6–8 inches (150–200 mm) of the surface, 1 square foot (0.093 m2) of rhizome infested soil may contain up to 110 feet (34 m) of rhizome, the weight of roots and rhizomes being estimated at 7.5 tons per acre.
Varieties and hybridisation
A pentaploid variant of H. mollis is common in Britain; it is sterile but spreads vegetatively. H. mollis var. variegatus has striped green and white leaves; it is sometimes cultivated.
A male sterile hybrid with Holcus lanatus exists with 2n = 21 chromosomes. Hybrids tend to resemble H. lanatus in their morphology.
