Agrostis capillaris L.
colonial bentgrass
Poaceae (Grass family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
colonial bentgrass
Poaceae (Grass family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial, densely tufted or matted grass, from rhizomes up to 5 cm long; stems 10-75 cm tall.
Leaves:
Sheaths smooth; blades 3-10 cm long, 1-5 mm wide, flat; ligules wider than long, 0.5-2.5 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence broadly egg-shaped, open, 3-20 cm long, with a lack of spikelets adjacent to the main axis, the spikelets well-spaced on the branches, none or only a few of these near the base, the lower branches 1.5-4.5 cm long, broadly spreading; glumes 1.7-3 mm long; lemmas 1.3-2.5 mm long, the callus hairs absent or sparse to 0.1 mm long; rachillas absent; paleas 0.6-1.2 mm long, at least 1/2 as long as the lemmas; anthers 0.8-1.3 mm long.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Mid Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present over the Summer
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Agrostis capillaris
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1107 | 40 | 2200 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
16 | 0 | 73 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
168 | 99 | 265 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
4 | 0 | 7 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
14 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CWH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CWH(6), ESSF(4), ICH(3), MS(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Mesic to dry lawns, fields, roadsides and meadows in the lowland zone; common on S Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland; introduced from Europe.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Agrostis sylvatica Huds.
Agrostis tenuis Sibth.
Agrostis tenuis var. aristata (Parnell) Druce
Agrostis tenuis var. hispida (Willd.) Philipson
Agrostis tenuis var. pumila (L.) Druce
Agrostis vulgaris With.