Calamagrostis epigejos, (L.) Roth

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1980, Flora Europaea. Volume 5. Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 237

1. C.epigejos (L.)Roth , Tent. FI. Germ. 1: 34 (1788)

( C. gigantea Roshev. ).

Caespitose, with creeping rhizomes; stems 60-200 cm, erect, usually rather stout, with 2-4 nodes, usually rough beneath panicle, smooth elsewhere. Leaves 4-20 mm wide, flat or weakly convolute; upper surface scabrid, with close-set veins; ligule 4-12 mm, acute, becoming lacerate. Panicle 15- 30 X 3-6 cm, erect, dense or more or less patent; branches aculeolate. Spikelets 4-10 mm, silvery-grey to brownish-purple. Glumes subequal or the lower slightly the longer, narrowlylanceolate, aculeolate on keel. Lemma 3-veined, 2-fid; awn short, but exceeding lemma, arising from middle of lemma or above. 2n = 28, 42, 56. Damp places and disturbed ground. Most of Europe, but rare in the south-west. All except Az BI Cr Fa Is Lu Sb.

An amphimictic polyploid complex of which some variants have been recognized as subspecies in the U.S.S.R. These are distinguished on the density of the panicle, smoothness of the stem under the panicle and the degree of inequality in glumelength. As intermediates are frequent, the variants do not seem to merit subspecific status.

C. epigejos hybridizes readily with other amphimictic species; the following are the most frequent hybrids: 1 x 6 (C. x strigosa (Wahlenb.) Hartman ), 1 x 4 (C. x rigens Lindgren) whicharemore or less intermediate between their parents, and 1 x 11 (C. x acuti- flora (Schrader) Reichenb.) which is like 12 but has stiff, glaucous leaves. It also hybridizes with Ammophila (x Ammocalamagrostis , p. 236).