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Agrostis stolonifera

(Creeping Bent Grass)

Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Dutch:

Fioringras, Wit Struisgras

Common Names in English:

Carpet Bent, Carpet Bentgrass, Creeping Bent, Creeping Bent Grass, Creeping Bentgrass, Fiorin, Redtop, Redtop Bent, Redtop Bent, Seaside Bentgrass, Spreading Bent, Spreading Bentgrass, White Bent

Common Names in French:

Agrostide Rampante, Agrostide Stolonifère, Agrostis Rampant

Common Names in German:

Fioringras, Flecht-Straußgras, Flechtstraußgras, Weißes Straußgras

Common Names in Greek:

Agrostis

Common Names in Italian:

Capellini Comuni, Rcapellini Communi

Common Names in Russian:

полевица побегообразующая, Polevica Pobegoobrazujuščaja, Polevitsa Pobegoobrazujushchaia (Polevica Pobegoobrazujuaja)

Common Names in Spanish:

Agróstide Común, Agróstide Estolonífera, Agróstide Rastrera, Agrostis Estolonífero, Chépica Alemana, Heno Gris

Common Names in Swedish:

Krypven

Common Names in Turkish:

Beyaz Ayrk çimi

Description

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Family Poaceae

Annual or perennial herbs, or tall woody bamboos . Flowering stems (culms ) jointed , internodes hollow or solid; branches arising singly from nodes and subtended by a leaf sheath and 2-keeled prophyll, often fascicled in bamboos. Leaves arranged alternately in 2 ranks , differentiated into sheath, blade , and an adaxial erect appendage at sheath/blade junction (ligule) ; leaf sheath surrounding and supporting culm-internode, split to base or infrequently tubular with partially or completely fused margins , modified with reduced blade in bamboos (culm sheaths) ; leaf blades divergent, usually long, narrow and flat, but varying from inrolled and filiform to ovate , veins parallel, sometimes with cross-connecting veinlets (especially in bamboos) ; ligule membranous or a line of hairs . Inflorescence terminal or axillary , an open, contracted , or spikelike panicle, or composed of lax to spikelike racemes arranged along an elongate central axis, or digitate, paired , or occasionally solitary; axillary inflorescences often many, subtended by spatheoles (specialized bladeless leaf sheaths) and gathered into a leafy compound panicle; spikelets often aggregated into complex clusters in bamboos. Spikelets composed of distichous bracts arranged along a slender axis (rachilla) ; typically 2 lowest bracts (glumes ) empty, subtending 1 to many florets ; glumes often poorly differentiated from accompanying bracts in bamboos. Florets composed of 2 opposing bracts enclosing a single small flower, outer bract (lemma) clasping the more delicate, usually 2-keeled inner bract (palea) ; base of floret often with thickened prolongation articulated with rachilla (callus) ; lemma often with apical or dorsal bristle (awn ), glumes also sometimes awned . Flowers bisexual or unisexual ; lodicules (small scales representing perianth) 2, rarely 3 or absent, 3 to many in bamboos, hyaline or fleshy ; stamens 3 rarely 1, 2, 6, or more in some bamboos, hypogynous, filaments capillary , anthers versatile; ovary 1-celled, styles (1 or) 2(rarely 3), free or united at base, topped by feathery stigmas, exserted from sides or apex of floret. Fruit normally a dry indehiscent caryopsis with thin pericarp firmly adherent to seed, pericarp rarely free, fleshy in some bamboos; embryo small or large; hilum punctate to linear .

About 700 genera and 11,000 species: widely distributed in all regions of the world.[1]

Genus Agrostis

Annuals or perennials , tufted or sometimes with rhizomes or stolons. Leaf blades linear to filiform or setaceous , flat or rolled; ligule membranous. Inflorescence a panicle, open to contracted or spikelike. Spikelets with 1 floret, small, often gaping , without rachilla extension ; rachilla disarticulating above glumes ; glumes persistent , longer than floret, subequal or lower a little longer, membranous, 1-veined, apex subacute to acuminate; floret callus glabrous or shortly pilose ; lemma oblong to elliptic , thinner than glumes, often hyaline , 5-veined, rounded on back, glabrous or hairy , lateral veins sometimes excurrent, awnless or awned from back, apex truncate or toothed ; awn usually geniculate , sometimes weakly so or straight when short; palea shorter than lemma, sometimes very small. Stamens 3. Caryopsis oblong, sulcate on ventral side.

About 200 species:temperate and cold regions of the N hemisphere, also on tropical mountains; 25 species (eight endemic) in China.

The genus includes some good fodder and lawn plants .

Some species are superficially very similar, and correct identification depends on careful observation of spikelet details. It is also important to collect the basal parts to show the presence or absence of rhizomes and stolons. When the palea is long it is normally obvious, but small paleas usually adhere to the mature caryopsis and may appear to be absent. The presence or absence of awns is useful for identification, but awned species may have awnless variants , and vice versa, and the position of the awn on the lemma back can also be rather variable.[2]

Physical Description

Species Agrostis stolonifera

Perennial , tufted , stoloniferous ; stolons slender, leafy, widely spreading , developing after anthesis . Culms erect or geniculate and rooting at base , 30-50(-100) cm tall. Leaf sheaths smooth ; leaf blades linear , flat or inrolled , 4-10 cm × 2-5 mm, scaberulous, apex acute to acuminate; ligule on non-flowering shoots 2-3.5 mm, rounded to truncate , often lacerate . Panicle narrow, linear to lanceolate in outline, 5-20 cm, open only at anthesis, otherwise contracted , often dense; branches several per node, closely divided , ascending , scabrous , main branch at a node often bare in lower 1/3, but accompanied by shorter branches bearing spikelets to base. Spikelets 1.8-3 mm, yellowish green; glumes lanceolate, subequal or lower glume slightly longer , lower glume scabrous along keel distally, upper glume often smooth, apex acute; callus minutely hairy ; lemma 3/4 as long to subequaling spikelet, usually awnless, apex rounded; palea 1/2-3/4 length of lemma. Anthers 0.8-1.5 mm. Fl. Aug. This is a widespread and polymorphic species, adventive in many temperate countries. [source]

Habit: Graminoid

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August. • Flower Color: green, magenta

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 24-36" tall.

Habitat

Moist places along roadsides[3].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 3,180 meters (0 to 10,433 feet).[4]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 36-48" apart.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Agrostis alba L. var. stolonifera (L.) Sm.
  2. Agrostis alba var. palustris (Huds.) Pers.
  3. Agrostis alba var. stolonifera (L.) Sm.
  4. Agrostis capillaris L. var. stolonifera (L.) Druce
  5. Agrostis maritima Lam.
  6. Agrostis palustris Huds.
  7. Agrostis palustris Huds. var. stolonifera (L.) Druce
  8. Agrostis palustris Hudson; A. Sibirica V. A. Petrov.
  9. Agrostis polymorpha Huds. var. stolonifera (L.) Huds.
  10. Agrostis stolonifera var. compacta Hartman
  11. Agrostis stolonifera var. palustris (Huds.) Farw.
  12. Agrostis tenuis Sibth. var. stolonifera (L.) Podp.
  13. Agrostis vulgaris With. var. stolonifera (L.) G. Mey.
  14. Decandolia stolonifera (L.) Bastard
  15. Milium stoloniferum (L.) Lag.


Notes

Publishing author : L. ex Jackson Publication : Index Linn. Herb. 30 (1912), nomen An accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Publishing author: Scribn. Publication: Grasses Tennessee pt . 2, 74 1894 Publishing author: Huds. Publication: Flora Anglica 1762 (Jan.-Jul. 1762) Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication: Sp. pl. 1:62. 1753

Name verified on 05-May-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 20-Nov-2007

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Agrostis

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1068 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

A. abakanensis · A. aberrans · A. abietorum · A. abnormis · A. abyssinica · A. actinoclada · A. aculeata · A. acutiflora · A. acutiglumis · A. adamsonii · A. adscendens · A. aemula · A. aemula var. aemula · A. aemula var. setifolia · A. aenea · A. aequalis · A. aequata · A. aequivalvis (Northern Bent Grass) · A. affinis · A. africana · A. agrostidiformis · A. agrostiflora · A. airaeformis · A. airiformis · A. airoides · A. airoides var. flaccidifolia · A. alascana (Alaska Bentgrass) · A. alaskana · A. alaskana var. breviflora · A. alba · A. alba scabrida · A. alba stolonifera · A. alba var. alba · A. alba var. aristata · A. alba var. decumbens · A. alba var. densiflora · A. alba var. dispar · A. alba var. major · A. alba var. stricta · A. alba var. sylvatica · A. alba var. vulgaris · A. albicans · A. albida · A. albimontana · A. algida · A. alopecuroides · A. alpestris · A. alpicola · A. alpina · A. alpina subsp. minor · A. altissima · A. altissima var. laxa · A. amaicensis · A. ambatoensis · A. ambigua · A. amomala · A. ampla · A. amplax · A. anadyrensis · A. anatolica · A. andicola · A. andina · A. anemagrostis · A. anemagrostoides · A. angrenica · A. angusthum · A. anomala · A. antarctica · A. antartica · A. antoniana · A. apetala · A. aphanes · A. aquatica · A. arachnoidea · A. arachnoides · A. araucana · A. arcta · A. arenaria · A. arenosa · A. argentea · A. arisan-montana · A. aristata · A. aristiglumis · A. aristulata · A. aristulifera · A. arrecta · A. articulata · A. arundinacea · A. arvensis · A. ascendens · A. aspera · A. asperifolia · A. asperigluma · A. asperula · A. atlantica · A. atrata · A. atropurpurea · A. atroviolacea · A. atrovirens · A. attenuata

More Info

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Further Reading

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  • Chen Shouliang, Jin Yuexing, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Liu Liang, Wu Zhenlan, Lu Shenglian, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao, Wang Song, Sun Xiangzhong, Wang Huiqin, Yang Xilin, Wang Chaopin, Li Binggui & Wen Shaobin. 1990. Gramineae (Poaceae) (4). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(1):1401
  • Chen Shouliang, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Jin Yuexing, Liu Liang, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao & Wang Song. 1997. Gramineae (Poaceae) (5). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(2): 1301
  • Liu Liang, Zhu Taiping, Chen Wenli, Wu Zhenlan & Lu Shenglian. Gramineae (Poaceae) (2). In: Liu Liang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(2): 1405
  • Lu Sheng-lian, Sun Yong-hua, Liu Shang-wu, Yang Yong-chang, Wu Zhen-lan, Kuo Pen-chao, Yang Hsi-ling, Wang Chao-pin & Tsui Nai-ran. 1987. Gramineae (3). In: Kuo Pen-chao, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(3): 1329
  • Wang Zhengping, Ye Guanghan, Yang Yaling, Yu Zehua, Hu Chenhua, Geng Bojie, Feng Xuelin, Jia Liangzhi, Xia Nianhe, Li Dezhu, Zhang Weiping, Xue Jiru, Zhu Zhengde, Zhao Qiseng, Chen Shouliang, Sheng Guoying, Chen Shaoyun, Yao Changyu, Lu Jionglin, Sun Jiliang, Lin Wantao, Yi Tongpei, Zhao Huiru, Wen Taihui & Dai Qihui. 1996. Gramineae (Poaceae) (1).
  • Notes

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    Contributors

    Data Sources

    Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

    Identifiers

    Footnotes

    1. Shou-liang Chen, De-Zhu Li, Guanghua Zhu, Zhenlan Wu, Sheng-lian Lu, Liang Liu, Zheng-ping Wang, Bi-xing Sun, Zheng-de Zhu, Nianhe Xia, Liang-zhi Jia, Zhenhua Guo, Wenli Chen, Xiang Chen, Yang Guangyao, Sylvia M. Phillips, Chris Stapleton, Robert J. Soreng, Susan G. Aiken, Nikolai N. Tzvelev, Paul M. Peterson, Stephen A. Renvoize, Marina V. Olonova & Klaus Ammann "Poaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 22. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
    2. Sheng-lian Lu & Sylvia M. Phillips "Agrostis". in Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 317, 340, 348, 349, 351, 353, 358, 359, 361. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
    3. "Agrostis stolonifera". in Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 340, 342, 343, 348. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
    4. Mean = 199.850 meters (655.676 feet), Standard Deviation = 297.950 based on 20,000 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
    Last Revised: 2009-09-16