Holcus lanatus (Yorkshire Fog)

Native to Europe, northwestern Africa, and temperate Asia, Yorkshire fog is a tufted perennial grass widely introduced beyond its native range. Upright stems can reach a meter tall, while soft hairs give the narrow leaves a gray-green, velvety appearance. The flowering panicle is often pinkish when young, with closely packed, two-flowered spikelets. One floret has a short hooked awn enclosed within the surrounding glumes. The grass grows in damp pasture, disturbed ground, and roadsides and readily spreads into suitable open habitats. It is invasive in California, where it can displace native vegetation in grasslands and wetlands. Photographed in Colombia.