Timothy Grass, the name commonly given to Phleum pratense, a grass much valued for feeding cattle. It first received the name Timothy Grass in America, from the name of a person who did much to promote its cultivation there. Along with the other species of the genus, it often receives also the English name of Cat's-tail Grass or Meadow Cat's-tail. The genus Phleum is distinguished by a panicle so compact as to resemble a close spike, single-flowered spikelets, with two nearly equal acuminate or almost awned glumes, two awless paleæ, and the seed free. The species are mostly natives of Europe; a number of them are British, but the Timothy Grass alone is of any economical value.
It varies very much in size according to soil and situation, succeeding best in moist, rich soils. It is very extensively cultivated both in Britain and in America. It has strong culms, attaining a height of 4 to 5 feet, but is tender and nutritious, and much relished by cattle. It is perennial, but springs up rapidly, even in the year in which it is sown. Its spike-like panicle, from the form of which the name Cat's-tail has been given, is cylindrical, and often of several inches in length. The seed is very small. Phleum nodosum is a very similar species, perhaps a mere variety, with the lower part of the culm prostrate and swollen into knots or bulbs, the spike much smaller than in P. pratense. It is a very inferior grass, and is found only on dry soils.