Redtops | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Subfamily: | Pooideae |
Genus: | Agrostis |
Species: | A. gigantea |
Binomial name | |
Agrostis gigantea Roth, 1788 | |
Synonyms | |
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Agrostis gigantea, known by its common names black bent [2] and redtop, is a perennial grass of the Agrostis genus.
It is native to Europe, but in the cooler areas of North America was widely used as a pasture grass until the 1940s. Although it has largely been replaced by soybeans and more palatable grasses, it still gets some use in poor soils. It was one of the grasses planted in areas disturbed by the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. It generally does well in response to fires, due to survival of rhizomes and seeds. [3]
It can be found in open woodland, rough grassland, hedgerows, roadsides and waste ground, and as a weed on arable land.
This species is similar to Agrostis stolonifera , with the key difference being that the latter has stolons. In fact the two are sometimes treated as a single species, and it is not always clear precisely what an author means by Agrostis alba or Agrostis stolonifera. [3]
Many internet sources[ which? ] describe Agrostis capillaris as being the tallest of the bent species. However C E Hubbard describes its height as ranging from 10 to 70 centimeters in high, whereas Agrostis gigantea is 40–120 centimetres (16–47 in). Marjorie Blamey, Richard and Alastair Fitter also describe black bent as being taller. [4] [5]
The leaves are dull green. The ligule is blunt, but toothed and up to 6 millimetres (0.24 in) long.
The panicle is open and loose, of green or purplish colour. It flowers from June to August.
The leaves are rolled in shoot, not hairy, no auricles, but the plant has rhizomes.
Artemisia vulgaris, the common mugwort, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is one of several species in the genus Artemisia commonly known as mugwort, although Artemisia vulgaris is the species most often called mugwort. It is also occasionally known as riverside wormwood, felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, naughty man, old man, or St. John's plant. Mugworts have been used medicinally and as culinary herbs.
Agrostis is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass.
Elymus repens, commonly known as couch grass, is a very common perennial species of grass native to most of Europe, Asia, the Arctic biome, and northwest Africa. It has been brought into other mild northern climates for forage or erosion control, but is often considered a weed.
Dioscorea communis or Tamus communis is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae and is commonly known as black bryony, lady's-seal or black bindweed.
Agrostis stolonifera is a perennial grass species in the family Poaceae. It is widely used as turf for golf courses.
British NVC community MG13 is one of the mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of three types of mesotrophic grassland classified as grass-dominated inundation communities.
British NVC community MG11 is one of the mesotrophic grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of three types of mesotrophic grassland classified as grass-dominated inundation communities.
Tolmiea menziesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae. It is known by the common names youth on age, pick-a-back-plant, piggyback plant, and thousand mothers. It is a perennial plant native to the West Coast of North America, occurring in northern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and southern Alaska. It occurs as a naturalised plant or garden escapee in Scotland, parts of Wales, Northern Ireland and northern and western parts of England.
Agrostis capillaris, the common bent, colonial bent, or browntop, is a rhizomatous and stoloniferous perennial in the grass family (Poaceae). It is native to Eurasia and has been widely introduced in many parts of the world. Colonial bent grows in moist grasslands and open meadows, and can also be found in agricultural areas, roadsides, and invading disturbed areas.
Agrostis exarata is a species of grass known by the common names spike bentgrass, spike bent, Pacific bentgrass, and spike redtop. It is native to western North America from Texas to the Aleutian Islands.
Briza media is a perennial grass in the family Poaceae and is a species of the genus Briza.
Agrostis scabra is a common species of grass known by the common names hair grass, rough bent, rough bent grass, winter bent grass, and ticklegrass. A tumbleweed, it is a bunchgrass native to Asia and much of North America, and widely known elsewhere as an introduced species.
Cirsium heterophyllum, the melancholy thistle, is an erect spineless herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Europe and western Asia, where it grows in upland meadows, grasslands, road verges and open woodland.
Scorzonera humilis, the viper's-grass, is a species of perennial plant. In Britain it is a rare plant, restricted to moist meadows, in Dorset and Warwick in England, and in South Wales.
Agrostis perennans, the upland bentgrass, upland bent, or autumn bent, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae.
Bromus commutatus, the meadow brome, is an annual or biennial species of plant in the grass family Poaceae. In the United States it is known as hairy chess.
Marjorie Netta Blamey MBE was an English painter and illustrator, particularly noted for her botanical illustrations for which she was described as "the finest living botanical illustrator", "the best contemporary botanical illustrator" and "the top illustrator in Europe" in reviews around the world.
Agrostis canina, the velvety bentgrass, brown bent or velvet bent, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae.
Stellaria nemorum, also known by the common name wood stitchwort, is a stoloniferous herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae.
Agrostis vinealis is a species of grass known by the common names brown bentgrass and brown bent, which can be found from Russia to Mongolia, China, Pakistan, India and Alaska. It was introduced to Greenland and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Media related to Agrostis gigantea at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Agrostis gigantea at Wikispecies