Agrostis stolonifera L., Sp. Pl. 62 (1753).

A. alba auct., non L.
A. filifolia Link,

Vegetative form. Perennial, erect or ascending, stoloniferous (and rooting at the nodes). Culms to 40 cm high. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Leaves non-auriculate. Basal leaf sheaths not keeled, terete, the same colour as the lamina or purple, with the veins equally striate. Ligule 1-6 mm long, membranous, obtuse, erose or laciniate, abaxially hairy. Leaf blades flat, to 180 mm long, 0.5-5 mm wide; with margins scabrous, apices acuminose (tapering to a fine point); convolute in bud.

Reproductive organization. Plants bisexual. Incomplete spikelets absent. Inflorescence of chasmogamous spikelets.

Inflorescence. Inflorescence a panicle, green or purple, open (only at anthesis, afterwards contracted), symmetrical. Rachides to 210 mm long. Primary inflorescence branches scabrous, spreading (short ones bearing spikelets almost to the base). Spikelets densely clustered.

Hermaphrodite (`perfect') spikelets. Hermaphrodite spikelets pedicellate, 2-3 mm long, laterally compressed, not disarticulating as a separate unit, disarticulating above the glumes. Pedicels slender. Glumes two per spikelet, similar, equal in length or subequal, exceeding the florets, longer than the proximal lemma. Lower glume often longer than the upper glume, membranous, keeled, acuminate or acute, muticous; 1 veined, midvein scabrous (for half its length). Upper glume membranous, keeled to dorsally rounded, acuminate or acute, muticous; 1 veined, midvein glabrous or midvein scabrous (only towards tip). Rudimentary florets absent. Incomplete florets absent. Hermaphrodite florets 1 per spikelet. Callus present, blunt. Lemma less firm than the glumes, laterally compressed, oblong to ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, membranous, not keeled, truncate; muticous or awned. Lemma 5 veined. Lemma veins obscure, glabrous; intercostal regions glabrous. Awns 1, median. Median awn shorter than the body of the lemmas, 1 veined, subapical. Palea fully developed, 1/2 the length of the lemmas to 2/3s the length of the lemma, thinner than the lemmas, hyaline. Lodicules 2, hyaline, ovate. Stamens 3. Anthers 1-1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Styles 2, free to their bases.

Fruit. Fruit not seen.

Common name. Creeping Bent.

Distribution. Introduced. Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland (ACT ?).

Ecology. Mesophytic; in open habitats. A common lawn grass, particularly in golf and bowling greens. A weed of pastures, roadsides and waste areas, margins of marsh, beach sand. Flowers spring-summer.

Classification. Pooideae; Poodae; Aveneae.

References. Morphology: Morris 82 (1991); Hastings & Jacobs (1994).

Cite this publication as:
C.M. Weiller, M.J. Henwood, J. Lenz and L. Watson (1995 onwards). `Pooideae (Poaceae) in Australia - Descriptions and Illustrations'. URL http://muse.bio.cornell.edu/delta/
Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993) should also be cited.

References and Acknowledgements