Bush grass (Calamagrostis epigejos, Tent. Fl. Germ. 1: 34 (1788))

Family: Poaceae

Author: (L.) Roth

Bibliography: Tent. Fl. Germ. 1: 34 (1788)

Year: 1788

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Calamagrostis

Vegetable: False

Observations: Temp. Eurasia to Trop. & S. African Mts.

Description

Bush grass, scientifically known as Calamagrostis epigejos, is a significant species belonging to the Poaceae family. Initially documented in the seminal work “Tentamen Florae Germanicae” in 1788, this resilient grass species has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and widespread distribution.

Originating in temperate regions across Eurasia, Bush grass has leveraged its robust nature to thrive in diverse ecological zones, extending its presence to tropical and southern African mountainous areas. This geographic versatility underscores its ability to colonize various climates and landscapes effectively.

The anatomy of Calamagrostis epigejos exhibits the characteristic traits of grasses, with long, slender stems and leaves that enable it to grow in dense clusters. This growth form not only makes it a vital component of its native habitats but also allows it to compete successfully with other flora in the regions it inhabits.

As a member of the Poaceae family, Bush grass shares many features with economically important crops like wheat, barley, and rice, which all contribute to the complexity and diversity of this botanical group. Its ecological role is further accentuated by its ability to provide habitat and food for a variety of wildlife, thus maintaining the balance within its ecosystems.

Overall, Bush grass stands as a testament to the evolutionary success of the grass family, with its widespread presence from temperate Eurasia to the tropical and mountainous regions of southern Africa marking its adaptability and ecological significance.

Common Names

Dan: bjerg-rørhvene
Eng: bush grass, chee reed grass, chee reedgrass, feathertop, wood small-reed, bushgrass
Deu: land-reitgras
Swe: bergrör, hietakastikka
Nor: bergrøir, briskhviin, enerkjøse, langkjøse, piphvina, pipkjøse, røirkjøse
Nob: bergrørkvein
Nno: bergrøyrkvein
Fra: calamagrostide commune, calamagrostide épigéios, calamagrostis commun, roseau des bois
Nld: duinriet
Fin: hietakastikka
Sme: sáttoruošši
Cym: corsen fach y coed, corsen y sychdir, mawnwellt
En: Bush grass, Chee reed grass, Feathertop, Wood small-reed, Bushgrass, Feathertop reed grass, Chee reedgrass, Bush-grass
Be: Пажарніца наземная
Bg: Приземен вейник
Zh: 拂子茅
Hr: Vlasača milava
Cs: Třtina křovištní
Da: Bjerg-Rørhvene
Nl: Duinriet
Et: Jäneskastik
Fi: Hietakastikka
Fr: Calamagrostide épigéios, Calamagrostide commune, Calamagrostis commun, Roseau des bois, Calamagrostide velue, Agrostide capillaire, Calamagrostide blanchâtre, Calamagrostis lancéolé, Calamagrostis des marais, Calamagrostide de Wirtgen, Calamagrostide faux-roseau, Roseau des montagnes, Calamagrostide négligée, Roseau des collines, Roseau terrestre, Calamagrostis épigéios
De: Land-Reitgras, Hügelrohr, Hügelschilf, Landreitgras, Landrohr, Landschilf, Sand-Reitgras, Sandreitgras, Waldschilf, Gemeines Reitgras
It: Cannella delle paludi
Kk: Құрғақ айрауық
Lv: Slotiņu ciesa
Lt: Smiltyninis lendrūnas
Mn: Явган сорвоо
Se: Sáttoruošši
No: Bergrøir, Briskhviin, Enerkjøse, Langkjøse, Piphvina, Pipkjøse, Røirkjøse
Nb: Bergrørkvein
Nn: Bergrøyrkvein
Os: Къуымадза
Pl: Trzcinnik piaskowy
Ru: Вейник наземный
Sv: Bergrör, Hietakastikka
Zh-tw: 拂子茅
Zh-hant: 拂子茅
Uk: Куничник наземний
Cy: Corsen fach y coed, Corsen y Sychdir, Mawnwellt

Synonyms

• Agrostis umbrosa (Pers. ex Trin.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. tenella (Peterm.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata f. stricta (Kuntze)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata f. aramosa (Kuntze)
• Calamagrostis karataviensis (P.A.Smirn.)
• Calamagrostis lenkoranensis (Steud.)
• Calamagrostis huebneriana var. flavescens ((Grutt.) Lojac.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. princeps (Podp.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. macra (Trin.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. viridis (Ducommun)
• Calamagrostis pseudoepigeios (Honda)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. villosa (P.Fourn.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. umbrosa (Behm)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. georgica ((K.Koch) Griseb.)
• Calamagrostis effusa (Paxton)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. huebneriana ((Rchb.) Grutt.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subsp. acrathera ((Peterm.) K.Richt.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. abbreviata ((Peterm.) Soó)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. cinerascens (Andersson)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. angustata (Podp.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. fusca (Tinant)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. densiflora (Ledeb.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subvar. huebneriana ((Rchb.) Kneuck.)
• Calamagrostis georgica (K.Koch)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. fuscorubra (Schur)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. parviflora (Keng ex Chen H.Wang)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. virescens (Andersson)
• Deyeuxia epigejos ((L.) Mabb.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata f. rufescens (Kuntze)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. subulivalvis (Torges)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. virens (Tinant)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. subgeniculata (Torges)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. paralias (Fr.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. intermedia ((C.C.Gmel.) Grecescu)
• Calamagrostis vinealis (Baumg. ex Steud.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. virescens (Hartm.)
• Agrostis epigejos ((L.) Raspail)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subsp. extremorientalis (Tzvelev)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. scabra (Meinsh.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. variegata (Ducommun)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. brachystachya (E.L.Saelan ex O.Fedtsch.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata f. violacea (Matuszk.)
• Arundo epigejos var. minor (Roth)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subsp. capensis ((Stapf) Tzvelev)
• Calamagrostis huebneriana (Rchb.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. arenaria (B.de Lesd.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. subquinquenervis (Torges)
• Calamagrostis acrathera (Peterm.)
• Calamagrostis acrathera var. abbreviata (Peterm.)
• Arundo intermedia (C.C.Gmel.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. flavescens (Grutt.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. elongata (Döll)
• Athernotus epigejos ((L.) Dulac)
• Calamagrostis glomerata (Boiss. & Buhse)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. major (Peterm.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. riparia (Čelak.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. ampla (Podp.)
• Calamagrostis costei (Sennen)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. fissa (Zapal.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. glaucescens (Coss. & Germ.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata f. sublaxa (Kuntze)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. lutescens (Tinant)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. densiflora ((Ledeb. ex Griseb.) Serb. & Beldie)
• Calamagrostis arenicola (Fernald)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subsp. glomerata ((Boiss. & Buhse) Tzvelev)
• Calamagrostis souliei (Sennen)
• Calamagrostis epigejos subsp. meinshausenii (Tzvelev)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. minor (Peterm.)
• Calamagrostis meinshausenii ((Tzvelev) Vilyasoo)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. montana (Čelak.)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata var. angustifolia (Kuntze)
• Arundo epigejos var. glauca (Jüngst)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. hirsuta (Ducommun)
• Calamagrostis odessana (Besser ex Andrz.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. gracilescens (Blytt)
• Calamagrostis epigejos f. laeviculmis (H.Lindb.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. laevis (Meinsh.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. linearis (Ducommun)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. alpestris (Brügger)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. altissima (Mutel)
• Calamagrostis lanceolata subvar. umbrosa (Schur)
• Calamagrostis koibalensis (Reverd.)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. riparia (Hartm.)
• Arundo epigejos (L.)
• Calamagrostis flabellum (Bergeret)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. capensis (Stapf)
• Calamagrostis thyrsoidea (K.Koch)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. laxiflora (Gruner)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. flavescens ((Grutt.) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Arundo epigejos var. intermedia ((C.C.Gmel.) Roth)
• Calamagrostis epigejos var. glauca (Hartm.)
• Calamagrostis epigea (St.-Lag.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Altay (native)
• Amur (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• Cape Provinces (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• Chita (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Ethiopia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Italy (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kenya (native)
• Khabarovsk (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Korea (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Krym (native)
• Kuril Is. (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Mongolia (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northern Provinces (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Poland (native)
• Primorye (native)
• Romania (native)
• Rwanda (native)
• Sakhalin (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sudan (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Tanzania (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Uganda (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Labrador (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flower

Taken Aug 2, 2021 by Max Ljungkvist (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 13, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 14, 2022 by Koos Noordeloos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Fodor Eszter (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Fodor Eszter (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Mar 8, 2014 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 4, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 18, 2019 by eliana eliana sevianu (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Sep 25, 2020 by Алан Алан (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 3, 2021 by Yurii VO (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 3, 2021 by Yurii VO (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 13, 2021 by Darren Giddins (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 27, 2021 by Martin Serso (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Sep 3, 2022 by Vitaly Nagaevskiy (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Fodor Eszter (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2015 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2015 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2015 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jul 7, 2021 by Joanna Lovell (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)

Taken Oct 15, 2018 by Annita Dee (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 9, 2020 by Ga Li (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Sep 11, 2021 by Роман Ковальчук (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 25, 2022 by Isabella Nowok (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 2, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 28, 2022 by Herman Sellink (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:394433-1)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/6431455)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth)

Specifications

Growth habit: Graminoid

Growth

Ph maximum: 6.5

Ph minimum: 5.5

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 6

Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’]

Soil nutriments: 6

Soil salinity: 1