Hairy reed grass
Calamagrostis villosa
Synonyms: Calamagrostis tenella var. mutica, Calamagrostis glaucescens, Calamagrostis pseudophragmites var. densiflora, Calamagrostis villosa var. hypacrathera, Calamagrostis villarsii, Arundo calamagrostis var. halleriana, Calamagrostis villosa var. extrema, Agrostis spuria, Calamagrostis villosa var. glabrata, Calamagrostis halleriana var. minutivalvis, Calamagrostis halleriana var. pilosa, Calamagrostis villosa var. subgeniculata, Agrostis pilosa var. aristata, Calamagrostis alpina var. extrema, Calamagrostis halleriana var. densiflora, Arundo alpina, Calamagrostis halleriana var. nutans, Calamagrostis villosa f. rudimentosa, Calamagrostis villosa var. pallescens, Calamagrostis villosa var. mutica, Calamagrostis halleriana var. ambigua, Calamagrostis silvatica var. villosa, Calamagrostis villosa var. nutans, Calamagrostis densiflora, Arundo halleriana, Deyeuxia halleriana, Calamagrostis halleriana var. glabrata, Calamagrostis villosa var. hypathera, Calamagrostis alpina var. aristata, Calamagrostis latifolia var. densiflora, Calamagrostis villosa var. pulchella, Calamagrostis alpina, Calamagrostis villosa var. pseudolanceolata, Calamagrostis tenella var. alpina, Calamagrostis villosa var. pilosa, Calamagrostis villosa var. brachytricha, Calamagrostis villosa var. krupae, Calamagrostis nutans
Botanical Description
Calamagrostis villosa, the wood smallreed or hairy smallreed, is a tufted, rhizomatous perennial grass in the family Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, native to montane and subalpine zones of central and western Europe, particularly the Alps, Carpathians, Sudetes and central German uplands. From short, slender rhizomes it forms loose to dense colonies of erect culms 50 to 150 cm tall. The flat to inrolled leaf blades are 3 to 8 mm wide, soft, slightly hairy and bright green. The inflorescence is an open, somewhat lax panicle 8 to 20 cm long, often nodding at the tip, the slender purplish to violet-tinged spikelets 4 to 6 mm long borne on fine, scabrid branches. Each spikelet contains a single fertile floret 2.5 to 3.5 mm long, the lemma bearing a fine awn from near the base and surrounded by a tuft of long silky hairs at the callus. The species typically dominates the field layer of cleared or wind-felled spruce forest, acid pastures and dwarf-shrub heaths up to the timberline.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
None Documented
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.