Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Phleum pratense ssp. pratense
FAMILY
Poaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Timothy from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
The American common name comes from the name of the man (Timothy Hanson) who is believed to have introduced it into the United States in 1720; in England, Phleum is called "cat's-tail", per Weakley's Flora (2023).
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Phleum pratense
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Phleum pratense
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 24 (2007)
Phleum pratense ssp. pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phleum pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-43-001:
Phleum pratense FAMILY Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Phleum pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Phleum pratense
COMMON NAME:
Timothy
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_phpr3_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950 pnd_phpr3_003_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm100626_159
June Avery County NC
The Roan Highlands
Panicle cylindric, commonly 5-10cm long, often longer, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
)
JK Marlow jkm100626_161
June Avery County NC
The Roan Highlands
Culms 50-100cm tall from a swollen or bulblike base, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
)
JK Marlow jkm100626_173
June Avery County NC
The Roan Highlands
Panicle dense spikelike, cylindrical. Spikelets strongly flattened, 1-flowered, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm200717_6657
July Jackson County NC
Nantahala National Forest
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Phleum pratense ssp. pratense
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Phleum pratense
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Phleum pratense
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 24
Phleum pratense ssp. pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phleum pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-43-001:
Phleum pratense
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Phleum pratense
INCLUDED WITHIN
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Phleum pratense
2468
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, roadsides, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Europe
Common (uncommon in SC Coastal Plain, rare in GA Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Inflorescence a dense, spikelike panicle
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Grain yellowish
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950) p367
- Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011) p421
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".