Importance
Very common in all arable areas occurring on light and heavy soils. May become a problem on lighter soils.
Description
Tufted perennial 30-60 cm. Spreads by surface rooting stolons. Distinguished from Common couch by longer ligule, lack of auricles and fine leaves. Flower head is a narrow pyramid of cylindrical shape, spreading when in flower but closed up when mature. Spikelets are small, narrow, single flowered and awnless.
Ligule
Long: up to 5mm. Roundly pointed tip.
Auricles: Absent.
Leaf blade: Green, greyish or bluish tinge. Long and narrow, tapering to acute point. Hairless but minutely rough. Rolled when young, flat later.
Creeping bent ligule
Creeping bent mature plant
Creeping bent flower heads. Photo © Alamy Ltd.