| Agrostis canina | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Genus: | Agrostis |
| Species: | A. canina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Agrostis canina | |
Agrostis canina, the velvety bentgrass,[2] brown bent or velvet bent,[3] is a species of grass in the family Poaceae.
Agrostis canina is a perennial plant, with stolons but no rhizomes, and culms which grow to a height of up to 75 centimetres (30 in).[4] It is frequently confused with Agrostis vinealis (formerly treated as a subspecies or variety of A. canina), which grows in more upland habitats and has rhizomes rather than stolons.[3]
The leaf blades are 2–15 cm (0.8–5.9 in) long and 1–3 mm (0.04–0.12 in) wide,[5] with an acute or acuminate ligule up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long.[4]
The plant flowers from May to July,[3] and the inflorescence is a panicle 3–16 cm (1.2–6.3 in) long and up to 7 cm (2.8 in) wide, with rough branches.[5] Each spikelet is 1.9–2.5 mm (0.07–0.10 in) long; the lemma is 1.6 mm (0.063 in) long with an awn attached around the middle.[3]
The range of Agrostis canina covers most of Europe and temperate parts of Asia, and extends from sea level to the alpine zone.[6] It has also been introduced to eastern North America, Hawaiʻi, Algeria and the Kerguelen Islands.[1]
Agrostis canina is sensitive to drought,[6] but is common in damp places, including ditches and lake margins.[7]
The short, green growth of A. canina has made it popular as a lawn grass.[5]
