Agrostis canina


Agrostis canina, commonly known as velvety bentgrass, brown bent or velvet bent, is a species of grass.

Description

Agrostis canina is a perennial plant, with stolons but no rhizomes, and culms which grow to a height of up to. It is frequently confused with Agrostis vinealis, which grows in more upland habitats and has rhizomes rather than stolons.
The leaf blades are long and wide, with an acute or acuminate ligule up to long.
The plant flowers from May to July, and the inflorescence is a panicle long and up to wide, with rough branches. Each spikelet is long; the lemma is long with an awn attached around the middle.

Distribution and ecology

The range of Agrostis canina covers most of Europe and temperate parts of Asia, and extends from sea level to the alpine zone. It has also been introduced to eastern North America, Hawaii, Algeria, the Kerguelen Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Agrostis canina is sensitive to drought, but is common in damp places, including ditches and lake margins.
The short, green growth of A. canina has made it popular as a lawn grass.