Common name
Crested Dogstail

Derivation
Cynosurus L., Sp. Pl. 73 (1753); from the Greek kynos (of a dog) and oura (tail), referring to the shape of the panicle.

cristatus- Latin for crested. Inflorescence forming a crest.

Published in
Sp. Pl. 72 (1753).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 5–133 cm tall, 1–3-noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.5–1.5 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades aciculate, 2–36.5 cm long, 1–4.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or pubescent.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle contracted, linear, secund, 1–14 cm long, 0.4–1 cm wide. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets
Spikelets in pairs. Companion spikelets developed, containing empty lemmas, ovate, laterally compressed, 3.4–6 mm long, longer than fertile, persistent. Companion spikelet lemmas 6–18, exserted from glumes, 4–6 mm long (linear), muticous or 1-awned. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 2–5 fertile florets, with a barren rhachilla extension, elliptic or oblong or cuneate, laterally compressed, 3–6 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate, 2.8–5.7 mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 1(–2)-nerved. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 3–5.1 mm long, 100–125% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 2-nerved. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma ovate, laterally compressed, 3–4.5 mm long, membranous or coriaceous, 5-nerved. Lemma surface scabrous, rough above. Lemma apex obtuse, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Rhachilla extension 10% length of fertile floret. Anthers 3, 2 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, oblong or ovoid, terete, 2 mm long. Embryo 10% of length of grain. Hilum punctiform or elliptic.

Continental Distribution:
Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Australasia, North America, South America, Antarctica.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.

Western Australia: Eyre. South Australia: Southern Lofty, South-eastern. New South Wales: Central Coast, South Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South-Western Slopes. Victoria: Murray Mallee, Wannon, Otway Plain, Otway Range, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plains, Snowfields, East Gippsland. Tasmania: Furneaux Group, North West, West Coast, Central Highlands, Midlands, East Coast, South West, Mt Field, Mt Wellington.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Pooideae: Poeae

Notes
Introduced. Native to the Mediterranean, widely naturalised in cooler temperate regions. Weed of roadsides, waste areas, grasslands, occasionally in pastures. Flowers Oct.–Feb. Fruits Jan.–?.