Description
Dactylis glomerata (scientific name: Dactylis glomerata L.) perennial herb, sparsely clump type. The fibrous root system is densely distributed in the soil layer of 10 to 30 cm, and the depth can reach more than 1 meter. The culm is erect or kinked at the base, 70-120 cm high (cultivated can reach more than 150 cm). The leaves are slightly glabrous, usually closed to more than the middle part, with ridges on the upper part; the tongue is 4-8 mm long with a torn tip; the leaves are 20-30 (45) cm long and 7-10 (12) mm wide. The panicles are open, 5-20 (30) cm long; spikelets are mostly gathered on the upper part of the branches, usually containing 2-5 flowers; glumes are lanceolate, apex acuminate, 4-5 (6.5) mm long, with 1 ~3-vein; the first lemma is as long as the spikelet, with a short awn about 1 mm long at the top. Caryopsis is long ovoid, yellowish brown. Dactylis has good nutritional value. The crude protein content of fresh grass can be as high as 18.4% during the nutrition period, which is quite considerable. It can be used for silage or hay preparation, silage, or grazing.
