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Crested Dog's-tail

©Richard Burkmarr

Crested dog's-tail

Enw gwyddonol: Cynosurus cristatus
Growing in tufts, Crested dog's-tail is a stiff-looking grass, with a tightly packed, rectangular flower spike. Look for it in lowland meadows and grasslands.

Species information

Ystadegau

Height: up to 75cm

Statws cadwraethol

Common.

Pryd i'w gweld

January to December

Ynghylch

Once grown as a crop and used for making bonnets, Crested dog's-tail is a common, tufted, perennial grass of grasslands and meadows. It tolerates many different kinds of soils, but is generally a lowland species and does not like to be waterlogged.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Growing in compact tufts, Crested dog's-tail is a rather stiff-looking grass with narrow, green leaves. It has short, upright flower spikes with a tightly packed cluster of spikelets (containing the flowers) arranged in a long, rectangular shape.

Dosbarthiad

Widespread.

Test

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Crested dog's-tail is the foodplant of caterpillars of several butterfly species in the brown and skipper families.

Sut y gall bobl helpu

The Wildlife Trusts look after many meadow habitats using traditional methods, such as hay-cutting, reseeding and grazing, for the benefit of local wildlife. We are also working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices in these areas. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from stockwatching to surveying meadow flowers.