Details Top

Internal ID UUID644030d95a497014238633
Scientific name Holcus lanatus
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl. : 1048 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
Holcus lanatus is used primarily as a forage and pasture grass, providing early-season grazing, cut-and-carry forage, hay, and silage for livestock. It is commonly included in pasture and meadow mixtures for extensive grazing systems, and in the British Isles it is a traditional component of amenity grassland in low-input, moist conditions. It is also used in ecological restoration and as a component of “wildflower meadow” or grazing marsh mixtures.

Industrial and craft applications:
The species is employed in soil erosion control and bank stabilization due to its ability to establish on disturbed sites and produce a fibrous root system. Its sod-forming growth and tolerance of seasonal waterlogging make it suitable for vegetating drains, spoil heaps, and pipeline corridors. Because it readily colonizes disturbed ground, it is used in reclamation plantings; however, its competitive and sometimes invasive behavior necessitates site selection and management.

Properties relevant to use:
Holcus lanatus is a cool-season, perennial grass that forms a dense sward through tillering; it is often applied to low-fertility or seasonally wet soils. Nutritional value is highest in spring; herbage quality declines after heading and seedset, with higher fiber and lower digestibility as the plant matures. Plants exhibit tolerance of occasional waterlogging and acid soils, which supports their use in moist/lowland situations and in restoration on less favorable substrates.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Propagation is by seed harvested from commercial or farm-saved stocks, typically at low sowing rates within pasture or meadow mixtures. In some regions it is classified as invasive, notably in parts of North America and New Zealand, and can displace native species in meadows and wetlands; containment or management measures may be required in restoration contexts to prevent spread beyond planted areas.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Aira holcus-lanatus Vill. Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 2: 87 (1787)
Avena lanata Koeler Descr. Gramin. : 303 (1802)
Avena pallida Salisb. Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 24 (1796)
Ginannia lanata F.T.Hubb. Rhodora 18: 234 (1916)
Ginannia pubescens Bubani Fl. Pyren. 4: 321 (1901)
Holcus aestivalis Jord. & Fourr. Brev. Pl. Nov. 2: 128 (1868)
Holcus argenteus Agardh ex Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 656 (1817)
Holcus glaucus Willk. Prodr. Fl. Hispan. 1: 307 (1862)
Holcus intermedius Krock. Fl. Siles. 1: 137 (1787)
Holcus lanatus f. viviparus Cheshm. Fitologiya 7: 75 (1977)
Holcus lanatus var. albovirens Junge Jahrb. Hamburg. Wiss. Anst. 22(Beih. 3): 63 1905
Holcus lanatus var. soboliferus Duwensee Phyton (Horn) 35: 292 (1995)
Holcus muticus Kunze ex Willk. Pugill. Pl. Nov. 142. 1852
Holcus oriolis Sennen & Gonzalo Exsicc. (Pl. Esp.) 1925: n.º 5555 (1925)
Holcus tuberosus Salzm. ex Trin. Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. 6(2): 86 (1840)
Nothoholcus lanatus Nash Ill. Fl. N. U.S. , ed. 2, 1: 214 (1913)
Notholcus lanatus Nash ex Hitchc. Fl. Calif. 1: 126 (1912)
Holcus lanatus var. tuberosus Salzm. ex Trin. Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. 5(2): 86 (1839)
Holcus lanatus subsp. tuberosus (Salzm. ex Trin.) M.Seq. & Castrov. Acta Bot. Malac. 31: 234 (2006)
Holcus lanatus var. vaginatus Willk. ex Pérez Lara Anales Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 15: 403 (1886)
Holcus lanatus subsp. vaginatus (Willk. ex Pérez Lara) M.Seq. & Castrov. Acta Bot. Malac. 31: 235 (2006)
Avena lanata (L.) Cav. Descr. Pl. 308 1802
Holcus lanatus f. albovirens (Junge) Beetle Phytologia 38: 17 (1978)
Holcus grurnosus Sennen Cat. Fl. Rif Orient. 128 (1933)
Holcus lanatus subsp. glaucus (Willk.) K.Richt. Pl. Eur. 1: 52 (1890)
Holcus lanatus subsp. argenteus (C.Agardh ex Roem. & Schult.) K.Richt. Pl. Eur. 1: 52 (1890)
Holcus lanatus var. leucoglumis Opiz Lotos 3: 182 (1853)
Holcus lanatus var. triflorus Mutel Fl. Franç. Herbor. 4: 17 (1837)
Holcus lanatus var. altissimus Coss. & Durieu Expl. Sci. Algérie 2: 99 (1855)
Holcus lanatus var. biaristatus J.T.Jansen & Wacht. Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 1943: f. 1947 (1943)
Holcus lanatus var. spectabilis Podp. Doplnky : 22 (1914)
Holcus lanatus var. glabrescens Zobel Verzuch. Herzog. Anhalt. Ungeb. Phan. & Gefässkrypt. 2: 24 (1907)
Holcus lanatus var. scaber Beck Fl. Nieder-Österreich : 70 (1890)
Holcus lanatus var. coloratus Rchb. Icon. Fl. Germ. Helv. : f. 1720 (1834)
Holcus lanatus var. purpurascens Tinant Fl. Luxemb. : 68 (1836)
Holcus lanatus var. ciliatus Beck Fl. Nieder-Österreich : 70 (1890)
Holcus lanatus unranked albovariegatus Jacob-Makoy Nursery Cat. (L. Jacob-Makoy & Co.) 114: 80 (1870)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English yorkshire-fog
Spanish pajon
Spanish aira lanata
Spanish heno blanco de san ildefonso
Spanish henu
Spanish hierba macerguera
Spanish holco
Spanish holco lanudo
Spanish pajón
Belarusian смарганец шарсцісты
Bulgarian вълнеста медовица
Czech medyněk vlnatý
Welsh maswellt penwyn
Danish fløjlsgræs
German wolliges honiggras
German honiggras
Esperanto lana holko
Estonian vill-mesihein
Finnish karvamesiheinä
Faroese ullhært legugras
French houlque velue
French houlque laineuse
frr ruad toost
Irish féar an chinn bháin
Upper Sorbian Łučna mědlina
Japanese シラゲガヤ
Cornish paliwelsen an pras
Latvian villainā meduszāle
Macedonian мовлеста медовица
Norwegian Bokmål englodnegress
Dutch gestreepte witbol
Dutch wollig zorggras
os Æхсаргардгæрдæг
Polish kłosówka wełnista
Russian Бухарник шерстистый
Swedish luddtåtel
Ukrainian Медова трава шерстиста
Chinese 绒毛草
Chinese 絨毛草

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Africa
    • Macaronesia
      • Azores
      • Canary Islands
      • Madeira
      • Selvagens
    • Middle Atlantic Ocean
      • Saint Helena
    • Northern Africa
      • Algeria
      • Morocco
      • Tunisia
    • Southern Africa
      • Cape Provinces
      • Kwazulu-Natal
      • Northern Provinces
    • Western Indian Ocean
      • Réunion
  • Antarctica
    • Subantarctic Islands
      • Amsterdam-St.Paul Islands
      • Crozet Islands
      • Falkland Islands
      • Kerguelen
      • Marion-Prince Edward
      • Tristan Da Cunha
  • Asia-temperate
    • Caucasus
      • North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • China
      • China South-central
      • China Southeast
    • Eastern Asia
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Taiwan
    • Russian Far East
      • Amur
      • Kuril Islands
    • Western Asia
      • Lebanon-Syria
      • Turkey
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Assam
      • East Himalaya
    • Malesia
      • Jawa
  • Australasia
    • Australia
      • New South Wales
      • Queensland
      • South Australia
      • Tasmania
      • Victoria
      • Western Australia
    • New Zealand
      • Antipodean Islands
      • Chatham Islands
      • Kermadec Islands
      • New Zealand North
      • New Zealand South
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • Baltic States
      • Belarus
      • Central European Russia
      • Krym
      • North European Russia
      • Northwest European Russia
      • South European Russia
      • Ukraine
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Denmark
      • Finland
      • Føroyar
      • Great Britain
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Norway
      • Sweden
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Kriti
      • Romania
      • Sicilia
      • Turkey-in-Europe
      • Yugoslavia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • Baleares
      • Corse
      • France
      • Portugal
      • Sardegna
      • Spain
  • Northern America
    • Eastern Canada
      • New Brunswick
      • Newfoundland
      • Nova Scotia
      • Ontario
      • Québec
    • Mexico
      • Mexico Central
      • Mexico Gulf
      • Mexico Northeast
      • Mexico Southeast
    • North-central U.S.A.
      • Illinois
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Missouri
      • North Dakota
      • Oklahoma
      • Wisconsin
    • Northeastern U.S.A.
      • Connecticut
      • Indiana
      • Maine
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • Rhode Island
      • Vermont
      • West Virginia
    • Northwestern U.S.A.
      • Colorado
      • Montana
      • Oregon
      • Washington
    • South-central U.S.A.
      • New Mexico
      • Texas
    • Southeastern U.S.A.
      • Alabama
      • Arkansas
      • Delaware
      • District Of Columbia
      • Georgia
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maryland
      • Mississippi
      • North Carolina
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Virginia
    • Southwestern U.S.A.
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Nevada
      • Utah
    • Subarctic America
      • Alaska
    • Western Canada
      • Alberta
      • British Columbia
      • Saskatchewan
  • Southern America
    • Brazil
      • Brazil South
      • Brazil Southeast
    • Caribbean
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Puerto Rico
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • Panamá
    • Northern South America
      • Venezuela
    • Southern South America
      • Argentina Northeast
      • Argentina South
      • Chile Central
      • Uruguay
    • Western South America
      • Bolivia
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000874509
UNII 1GER0C06MQ
Flora of Alabama 4841
Canadensys 7718
USDA Plants HOLA
Tropicos 25509697
INPN 102900
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:405034-1
The Plant List kew-419046
Open Tree Of Life 762970
NCBI Taxonomy 29679
NBN Atlas NBNSYS0000002619
Nature Serve 2.151209
IPNI 405034-1
iNaturalist 52793
GBIF 2706164
Freebase /m/06z_6f
WisFlora 3870
FEIS plants/graminoid/hollan
EPPO HOLLA
EOL 1114971
Elurikkus 5161
Calflora (Californian flora) 4201
USDA GRIN 19209
Wikipedia Holcus_lanatus
Plantarium 20199

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Co-located ecological data for exploring top- and subsoil carbon dynamics across grassland-woodland contrasts Reinsch S, Lebron I, Brentegani M, Brooks M, Busi SB, Cagnarini C, Cooper D, Day J, Emmett BA, Fitos E, Goodall T, Griffiths R, Jones B, Keenan P, Keith A, Lopes-Mazzetto JM, Mason KE, Pallett D, Pereira MG, Pinder A, Robinson DA, Smart SM, Thomas A, Benham S, Vanguelova E, Cosby BJ Sci Data 09-May-2024
PMCID:PMC11081944
doi:10.1038/s41597-024-03333-w
PMID:38724554
Investigation of the relationship between atopic dermatitis of dogs and intestinal epithelial damage Ekici YE, Ok M Vet Med Sci 22-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11034634
doi:10.1002/vms3.1453
PMID:38648253
Beef production and the beef evaluation system in Chile: description, characterization, and quality Rodrigo A Anim Front 16-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11018703
doi:10.1093/af/vfae003
PMID:38633321
Taxonomic Diversity and Functional Traits of Soil Bacterial Communities under Radioactive Contamination: A Review Belykh E, Maystrenko T, Velegzhaninov I, Tavleeva M, Rasova E, Rybak A Microorganisms 03-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11051952
doi:10.3390/microorganisms12040733
PMID:38674676
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of the Vegetation Cover from the Bijagual Massif, Boyacá, Colombia, during the 1986–2021 Period Gil-Leguizamón PA, Pereña-Ortiz JF, Sánchez-Mata D, Salvo-Tierra ÁE, Mercado-Gómez JD, Morales-Puentes ME Plants (Basel) 25-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC11013742
doi:10.3390/plants13070948
PMID:38611477
Transcriptome analysis of Gossypium reveals the molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling pathway on arsenic tolerance induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Gong M, Bai N, Su J, Wang Y, Wei Y, Zhang Q Front Microbiol 25-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC11000422
doi:10.3389/fmicb.2024.1362296
PMID:38591035
Exploring the complex pre-adaptations of invasive plants to anthropogenic disturbance: a call for integration of archaeobotanical approaches Bellini G, Schrieber K, Kirleis W, Erfmeier A Front Plant Sci 15-Mar-2024
PMCID:PMC10978757
doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1307364
PMID:38559769
Assessing HCH isomer uptake in Alnus glutinosa: implications for phytoremediation and microbial response Amirbekov A, Vrchovecka S, Riha J, Petrik I, Friedecky D, Novak O, Cernik M, Hrabak P, Sevcu A Sci Rep 20-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10879209
doi:10.1038/s41598-024-54235-1
PMID:38378833
Extreme environments simplify reassembly of communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Šibanc N, Clark DR, Helgason T, Dumbrell AJ, Maček I mSystems 20-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10949450
doi:10.1128/msystems.01331-23
PMID:38376262
Plant choice between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species results in increased plant P acquisition Weber SE, Bascompte J, Kahmen A, Niklaus PA PLoS One 31-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10830030
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0292811
PMID:38295035
Why Are There So Few Basidiomycota and Basal Fungi as Endophytes? A Review Rungjindamai N, Jones EB J Fungi (Basel) 15-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10820240
doi:10.3390/jof10010067
PMID:38248976
Transport of Nanoparticles into Plants and Their Detection Methods Sembada AA, Lenggoro IW Nanomaterials (Basel) 05-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10819755
doi:10.3390/nano14020131
PMID:38251096
Effect of a Garlic and Citrus Extract Supplement on the Lactation Performance and Carbon Footprint of Dairy Cows under Grazing Conditions in Chile Khurana R, Salami SA, Poblete RB, Fischer A, Cofré LA, Bustos V, Tas BM Animals (Basel) 04-Jan-2024
PMCID:PMC10778252
doi:10.3390/ani14010165
PMID:38200896
Hawaiian Treeline Ecotones: Implications for Plant Community Conservation under Climate Change Ainsworth A, Drake DR Plants (Basel) 31-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10780311
doi:10.3390/plants13010123
PMID:38202431
Assessing the diet and seed dispersal ability of non‐native sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in native ecosystems of south‐eastern Australia Quin MJ, Morgan JW, Murphy NP Ecol Evol 27-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10682569
doi:10.1002/ece3.10711
PMID:38034333

Phytochemical Profile Top

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