Poaceae
Agrostis

Agrostis castellana Boiss. & Reut.

First published in P.E.Boissier, Diagn. Pl. Nov. Hisp.: 26 (1842)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Medit. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 18-50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2.5-10 cm long; 0.5-1.8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 5-15 cm long; 0.8-6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 4-8 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; terete; 1-2.3 mm long; scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.3-3.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.3-3.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.3-3.7 mm long; 1.4-1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 1.6-1.8 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma apex erose; truncate; muticous. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2; laterally exserted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear. Endosperm farinose.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: western Asia. Australasia: New Zealand. South America: western South America and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Turk 1993.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; acute. Leaf-blades involute; 3-10 cm long; 1-3.5 mm wide; glaucous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 12-20 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches smooth. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; 2-3 length of fertile spikelet.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.2 mm long; 2-3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 0.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 5 -fid; incised 0.15 of lemma length; truncate; muticous. Palea 0.5 length of lemma; hyaline.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern. Africa: north.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Eur 1997.
Diagnostic
Ligule longer than wide.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0