Poaceae
Agrostis

Agrostis variabilis Rydb.

First published in Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 1: 32 (1900)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Canada to W. & W. Central U.S.A. and Mexico (N. Baja California). It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

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; clumped densely. Culms 8-15 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-2.5 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1-2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 3-6 cm long; 0.5-1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 2-2.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins extending close to apex. Lemma apex erose; truncate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.4-0.5 way up back of lemma; straight; 2-2.5 mm long overall. Palea 0.2-0.4 mm long; 0.1-0.2 length of lemma; hyaline.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 0.3-0.5 mm long; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.
Distribution
North America: western Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Pac NW 1994.
[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