Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Agrostis arundinacea in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 61 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Deyeuxia pyramidalis (Host) Veldkamp
original Latin description
Agrostis panicula oblonga, petalo exteriore basi villoso, arista torta calyce longiore.
English translation
Agrostis with a panicle oblong; with the outer petal at the base villous; [and] with an awn twisted [and] than the calyx longer.
| Agrostis | Agrostis |
| with a panicle | panicula - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun panicula, -ae |
| oblong; | oblonga - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective oblongus, -a, -um; modifies panicula |
| with the outer | exteriore - ablative singular neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective exter, extra, extrum; modifies petalo |
| petal | petalo - ablative singular of first declension neuter noun petalum, -i |
| at the base | basi - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun basis, -is |
| villous; | villoso - ablative singular neuter of group A adjective villosus, -a, -um; modifies petalum |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with an awn | arista - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun arista, -ae |
| twisted | torta - ablative singular feminine of perfect participle of second declension verb torqueo, torquere, torsi, tortum; agrees with arista |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| than the calyx | calyce - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun calyx, calycis; object of longiore |
| longer. | longiore - ablative singular feminine of comparative degree of group A adjective longus, -a; modifies arista |