Molinia

a genus of plants of the family Gramineae. They are tufted perennial grasses. The culms have no nodes above the base, and the inflorescence is a long, generally narrow panicle. The spikelets have two to five flowers and are lanceolate. There are two or three species, distributed in the temperate and cold zones of Eurasia and in North America (imported). In the USSR there are two species, the most common being moor grass (Molinia coerulea), which grows primarily in the European USSR in damp meadows, thickets, clearings, and, sometimes, salt marshes. Moor grass yields a coarse, inferior hay but is a good bedding material. The roots are used for the production of brushes, mats, and similar items. The garden form of moor grass, which has variegated leaves, is an ornamental.