Brown-top Bent - introduced (*Agrostis capillaris)

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Alternative names: Common Bent.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Native to Europe.

Identification:

the flower clusters are rather narrow, but can spread with age
the spikelets have one floret
the glumes are longer than the lemma
the lemma is awned or not awned
the leaves are flat or inrolled
the ligule is membranous, truncate or rounded c1mm long.

Each flower (spikelet) has a single lemma. The spikelets are small, 3mm long, excluding any awn. The lemma has a thinner texture than the glumes. The lemmas may have a slender awn rising from the back of the lemma, or be awnless. The awn, if present, is about as long as the glumes.

Unlike the similar Blown Grass, Lachnagrostis, in which the lemmas are also thin-textured, the flower clusters of Brown-top Bent do not separate from the plant when mature.

Brown-top Bent is widespread and common. It is used as a lawn grass, and is often abundant along roadsides and in paddocks.

It is also an environmental weed.

Agrostis: from the Greek word for field. capillaris: fine, hair-like.

1: Flower spray. The flowers have started to dry off. 2: Fresh flowers are dark-coloured. 3: The lemmas are smaller and thinner than the glumes. The awns are about as long as the glumes. 4: Brown-top Bent can be conspicuous along roadsides. 5: The glumes are partly transparent. The lemmas are thin textured and the seed can be seen enclosed by the lemmas.

Scale Bar = 1 cm