紫羊茅(原亚种) zi yang mao (yuan ya zhong)

Festuca rubra var. nankataizanensis Ohwi; F. rubra var. niitakensis Ohwi.

Panicle branches scabrid. Spikelets with 3–6 florets; lemmas smooth or scabrid, 4–6 mm. Anthers 2–3.5 mm.

Grassy slopes, roadsides, alpine meadows, other grassy places, in sun or shade. Common in China except in the S [Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan; SW Asia, Europe, North America].

This is a very widely distributed grass, adventive or introduced for pasture and lawns in many cool-temperate countries.

Festuca rubra var. nankataizanensis, described from Taiwan, differs from this subspecies in its densely hirsute lemmas and small anthers 1–1.5 mm.