Junegrass, Crested cat's tail
Koeleria macrantha

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass. It forms loose tufts and keeps growing from year to year. It can have creeping rhizomes or underground stems. It grows 10-40 cm high. The leaf blades are 15 cm long and 1-2 mm wide.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In Pakistan it grows between 1,600-4,500 m altitude. It grows on mountain slopes from sea level to 3,900 m above sea level in China. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Alaska, Australia, Britain, Canada, Central Asia, China, Europe, Himalayas, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, North America, Pakistan, Russia, Siberia, Slovenia, Southern Africa, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tibet, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

The seeds are used to make bread.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Okrasna smiljica

Synonyms

Aira cristata Linn.; Aira macrantha Ledeb.; Airochloa cristata (Linn.) Link; Koeleria cristata auct. non Pers.; Koeleria gracilis Pers.; Poa cristata (Linn.) Linn.; Poa nitida Lam.; and others