Meadow cat’s-tail (Phleum pratense, Sp. Pl. 1: 59. 1753)

Family: Poaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl. 1: 59. 1753

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Phleum

Vegetable: False

Observations: Azores, Morocco, Europe to Siberia and W. Himalaya

Description

Meadow cat’s-tail, scientifically known as Phleum pratense, is an elegant perennial grass that enjoys a broad geographic distribution, spanning from the lush landscapes of the Azores and the varied terrains of Morocco, through the extensive regions of Europe to the far reaches of Siberia and the Western Himalayas. This hardy plant thrives in temperate climates, showcasing its adaptability across a range of environments.

Belonging to the Poaceae family, Meadow cat’s-tail features slender, upright stems that can grow up to a meter in height. The plant is most easily recognized by its densely packed, cylindrical flower spikes, which resemble the bushy tail of a cat—hence the common name. The slender, green spikes turn a lighter, often silvery hue as they mature, adding a graceful aesthetic to the meadows and fields it frequents.

Phleum pratense plays a significant role in agriculture and ecology alike. In pastures, it serves as excellent forage for livestock due to its rich nutritional profile. Its resilience and palatability make it one of the preferred grasses for hay production. Moreover, the presence of Meadow cat’s-tail in natural ecosystems contributes to soil stabilization and the overall health of meadows and open woodlands.

The historical documentation of Meadow cat’s-tail dates back to the seminal publication “Species Plantarum” in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, who first described and classified it. This grass has since been a subject of interest for botanists and ecologists who study its distribution, growth patterns, and ecological importance.

In sum, Meadow cat’s-tail stands out not only for its distinctive appearance but also for its vital role in both natural and cultivated landscapes. Whether swaying gracefully in a wild meadow or contributing to the agricultural bounty, Phleum pratense is a quintessential component of the regions it inhabits, testament to the enduring connection between plant life and the environments they enrich.

Common Names

Dan: eng-rottehale
Eng: meadow cat’s-tail, timothy, timothy grass, common timothy, meadow timothy
Deu: timotheegras, wiesen-lieschgras, wiesenlieschgras
Nor: aaker-kjempe, enge-kjempe, kjempe-græs, knut-kjempe, musrumpe, rotterumpe
Por: capim-timóteo, rabo-de-gato
Ita: coda di topo, fleolo
Spa: cola de topo, timoti
Fra: fléole des près, fléole des prés, fléole des champs, mil, phléole des prés
Fin: nurmitähkiö, timotei
Swe: nurmitähkiö, timotei, timotej, ängskampe
Nld: timoteegras en klein timoteegras, gewoon timoteegras, timoteegras
Nno: timotei
Nob: timotei
Sme: timoteija
Cym: cynffon y gath, rhonwellt, rhonwellt y gath, rhonwellt y gath cyffredin
En: Meadow cat’s-tail, Timothy, Timothy grass, Common cat’s tail, Herd’s grass, Common Timothy, Meadow timothy, Cat’s-tail, Large-leaved Timothy-grass
Ar: إفليوم مرجي
Eu: Larre-pleotza
Be: Цімафееўка лугавая
Bg: Ливадна тимотейка
Ca: Cua de rata, Flèum de prat
Zh: Ti mu cao, 梯牧草
Cv: Кушак хӳри
Cs: Bojínek luční
Da: Eng-Rottehale
Nl: Timoteegras, Timoteegras en klein timoteegras, Gewoon timoteegras, Timothee, Timotheegras
Et: Põldtimut
Fi: Nurmitähkiö, Timotei, Nurmitähkiö, timotei
Fr: Fléole des près, Fléole des prés, Fléole des champs, Mil, Phléole des prés, Queue-de-rat, Timothée
De: Wiesenlieschgras, Timotheegras, Wiesen-Lieschgras, Gewöhnliches Wiesenlieschgras, Timotheusgras
Hu: Mezei komócsin
Is: Vallarfoxgras
Ga: Tiomóid
It: Coda di topo, Fleolo, Codolina comune, Paleino
Ja: Ō-awagaeri
Ko: Timosi, Keunjoajaebi
Lt: Pašarinis motiejukas
Mk: Мачкина опашка
Se: Timoteija
No: Timotei, Aaker-kjempe, Enge-kjempe, Kjempe-græs, Knut-kjempe, Musrumpe, Rotterumpe
Nb: Timotei
Nn: Timotei
Fa: لوئیچه چمنی
Pl: Tymotka łąkowa
Pt: Capim-timóteo, Rabo-de-gato
Ro: Timoftică
Ru: Тимофеевка
Sr: Mačji rep
Es: Cola de topo, Timoti, Cola de jopo, Fleo de los prados
Sv: Timotej, Nurmitähkiö, timotei, Ängskampe
Zh-tw: 梯牧草
Tt: Болын сүсәнәге
Tr: Kelpkuyruğu
Uk: Тимофіївка лучна
Uz: Ajriqbosh
Wa: Fiole
Cy: Rhonwellt, Cynffon y Gath, Rhonwellt y Gath, Rhonwellt y Gath Cyffredin

Synonyms

• Phleum pratense f. bracteatum ((Boenn.) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Phleum nodosum var. pratense ((L.) St.-Amans)
• Phleum pratense subsp. roshevitzii ((Pavlov) Tzvelev)
• Phleum pratense subsp. trabutii ((Litard. & Maire) Kerguélen)
• Phleum pratense var. fallax ((Janka) C.Klinggr.)
• Phleum pratense var. microstachyum ((Ruiz ex Nyman) Briq.)
• Phleum pratense f. alpinoides (Norm.)
• Phleum pratense f. monstrosa (Brenner)
• Phleum pratense f. elongatum ((Schur) Serb. & Nyár.)
• Phleum pratense var. caespitosum (Neilr.)
• Phleum pratense var. macrochaeton (Döll)
• Plantinia pratensis ((L.) Bubani)
• Phleum roshevitzii (Pavlov)
• Phleum villosum (Opiz)
• Phleum alpinum subsp. trabutii (Litard. & Maire)
• Phleum pratense var. viviparum (Gray)
• Phleum pratense var. brachystachyum (Salis)
• Phleum parnassicum (Boiss. & Heldr. ex Nyman)
• Stelephuros pratensis ((L.) Lunell)
• Phleum bertolonii subsp. trabutii ((Litard. & Maire) Kerguélen)
• Phleum pratense subsp. brachystachyum ((Salis) Gamisans)
• Phleum pratense var. bracteatum (Boenn.)
• Phleum pratense var. minus (Gray)
• Phleum pratense subsp. nodosum ((L.) Dumort.)
• Phleum brachystachyum ((Salis) Gamisans, A.T.Romero & C.Morales)
• Phleum tuberosum (Panz. ex Trin.)
• Phleum deckeri (Roem. ex Trin.)
• Phleum microstachyum (Ruiz ex Nyman)
• Phleum fallax (Janka)
• Phleum pratense var. stoloniferum ((Host) Rchb.)
• Phleum pratense f. fallax ((Janka) Serb. & Nyár.)
• Phleum pratense subsp. microstachyum ((Ruiz ex Nyman) Malag.)
• Phleum pratense var. longiciliatum (Parn.)
• Phleum pratense var. chlorostachyum (N.H.F.Desp.)
• Phleum pratense var. vulgare (Döll)
• Phleum stoloniferum (Host)
• Phleum nodosum (L.)
• Phleum pratense var. stoloniformis ((Host) Steud.)
• Phleum vulgare (Chase & Niles)
• Phleum trabutii ((Litard. & Maire) Rivas Mart., A.Asensi, Molero Mesa & F.Valle)
• Phleum pratense var. longiaristatum (Parn.)
• Phleum pratense var. armatum (Druce)
• Achnodonton bulbosum ((Gouan) J.Woods)
• Panicum pratense var. intermedium (Gaudin)
• Phleum pratense subsp. vulgare (Asch. & Graebn.)
• Phleum pratense f. viviparum ((Gray) Louis-Marie)
• Phleum pratense var. elongatum (Duby)
• Phleum maximum (Pryor)
• Phleum pratense var. nodosum ((L.) Schrad.)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Chita (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Føroyar (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iceland (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Aleutian Is. (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Antipodean Is. (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Chatham Is. (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile South (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Crozet Is. (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• Falkland Is. (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Greenland (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Kamchatka (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kerguelen (introduced)
• Khabarovsk (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Kuril Is. (introduced)
• Labrador (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Magadan (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manchuria (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Northwest Territorie (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Sakhalin (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• South Australia (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• South Georgia (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Western Australia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)
• Xinjiang (introduced)
• Yukon (introduced)

Additional Images

Leaf

Taken Jul 29, 2022 by Alain Lagrave (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 21, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 29, 2019 by Ruhrpottmädel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 3, 2021 by Gianluigi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 12, 2022 by Pieter Verbrugghe (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Peter Peter Kikic (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 30, 2020 by Kabilan Nadarajah (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 16, 2021 by Mariusz Staniszewski (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 12, 2022 by Pieter Verbrugghe (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 10, 2019 by Saint333 (cc-by-sa)

© 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.

Habit

Taken May 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 28, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Annick LARBOUILLAT (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2021 by Hellishgaze (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 21, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Aug 23, 2022 by Morix Hanson (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 12, 2021 by sev (cc-by-sa)

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

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

Taken Jun 23, 2021 by Miroslava Kovarova (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Dec 31, 1850 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)

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

Taken Jun 10, 2019 by Renaud Brochiero (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2022 by Alyona Appel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1800 by Tela Botanica − Thierry Pernot (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Aug 19, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 15, 2019 by Joshua Koch (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Alain Chanu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 20, 2022 by M N (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 19, 2019 by Thomas Sanzey (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/9014945)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:415868-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Phleum pratense L.)

Specifications

Growth form: Bunch

Growth habit: Graminoid

Growth rate: Rapid

Growth

Ph maximum: 8.4

Ph minimum: 5.5

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 5