Agrostis gigantea Roth

Graminae

Synonyms

Agrostis alba auct. non L., A. nigra With., A. stolonifera L. subsp. gigantea Gaudin ex Schtibler et Martens

Common names

Black bent or red top bent (English), Agrostis géant (French), Riesen straussgras (German).

Description

Perennial plant, robust, hairless, with more or less elongated rhizomes. Stems 30 - 120 cm high, sometimes stoloniferous. Blade rolled when young, 3 - 10 mm wide. Ligule long, with a truncated and often dentate top. No auricles. Panicle-like, loose inflorescence, 8 - 30 cm long, not or slightly contracted, mainly on the top, after flowering. Spikelets 1-flowered. The weight of 1000 seeds is 0.08 to 0. 11 g (small seeds). Chromosome number: 2n = 42.

Temperature

Large climate range and good resistance to cold.

Water

Good drought-resistance.

Soil

Optimum on excessively drained, relatively dry sods. Thrives on moderately rich to nutrient rich soils. Mainly on light, sandy soils.

Distribution

Native to temperate and cold areas of the northern hemisphere.

References