Gastridium is a small but widespread genus of African and Eurasian plants in the grass family. These grasses are sometimes called nit grass.
Gastridium is a genus of herbaceous plants of the Poaceae family. It is native to the Canary Islands, Western Europe, and the Mediterranean.
They are annual plants. Sheath leaves with free margins; ligule obtuse, dentate, veined, membranous; flat limbus. Inflorescence in panicle generally dense. Spikelets with hermaphrodite flower, articulated with the rachilla. Glumes longer than the flower, unequal, acute or acuminate, sometimes sickle, uninerved, ventruded, more or less scabrid at the apex. Rhachilla slightly prolonged above the flower, hirsute. Lemma with 5 nerves and 4 teeth or apical setae, mutic or awned, membranous.
This plant might be poisonous
How to get rid of:
Annual grasses should be high slashed (10 cm above ground)
before seed heads start to develop, typically in late winter and may
require follow-up slashing after 4-6 weeks. As they are annuals,
preventing the production of seed will ensure their seedbank will
diminish with time.
Perennial grasses can be slashed at any time of year, however best
results will be obtained during winter and spring
