Importance
Widespread and locally common on arable land, especially on sandy or light loam soils in the east and south of England. Can become a problem in continuous cereals. Rare in Wales and Scotland.
Description
Tall tufted or solitary annual grass 20-100 cm. Elegant oval to oblong panicle. Usually open and much-branched. Spikelets are single flowered, with short awns. Seeds are very small and lightweight and are usually shed before the crop matures.
Ligule
Long, rounded and ragged: 3 - 10 mm.
Auricles: Absent.
Leaf blade: Hairless, rough, narrow and pointed. Rolled.
Loose silky-bent. Young plant.
Loose silky-bent ligule.
Loose silky-bent flower head.