Lachnagrostis filiformis

Lachnagrostis filiformis (syn. Agrostis avenacea) is a species of grass known by the common names Pacific bent grass, New Zealand wind grass, fairy grass,[2][3] or blown-grass.[2] It is native to Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific Islands including New Guinea and Easter Island. While it is found in a wide variety of habitats, it seems particularly invasive in areas with damp soils, such as areas near bodies of water.[4] It has been introduced to southern Africa,[5] the United Kingdom,[6] Taiwan, the southern United States and Mexico.[7]

Lachnagrostis filiformis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Lachnagrostis
Species:
L. filiformis
Binomial name
Lachnagrostis filiformis
(G.Forst.) Trin.
Synonyms[1]
  • Agrostis avenacea J.F.Gmel.
  • Agrostis chamissonis (Trin.) Trin.
  • Agrostis debilis Poir.
  • Agrostis filiformis (G.Forst.) Biehler
  • Agrostis forsteri Rich. ex Roem. & Schult.
  • Agrostis lasiantha Phil.
  • Agrostis leonii Parodi
  • Agrostis ligulata Steud.
  • Agrostis novae-hollandiae P.Beauv.
  • Agrostis retrofracta Willd.
  • Agrostis solandri F.Muell.
  • Avena filiformis G.Forst.
  • Calamagrostis avenacea (J.F.Gmel.) W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Calamagrostis chamissonis (Trin.) Steud.
  • Calamagrostis filiformis (G.Forst.) Cockayne
  • Calamagrostis forsteri (Kunth) Steud.
  • Calamagrostis retrofracta (Willd.) Link ex Steud.
  • Calamagrostis willdenowii Steud.
  • Deyeuxia chamissonis (Trin.) Kunth
  • Deyeuxia filiformis (G.Forst.) Petrie
  • Deyeuxia filiformis var. aristata (Benth.) Domin
  • Deyeuxia filiformis var. laeviglumis (Benth.) Domin
  • Deyeuxia forsteri Kunth
  • Deyeuxia forsteri var. aristata Benth.
  • Deyeuxia forsteri var. laeviglumis Benth.
  • Deyeuxia retrofracta (Willd.) Kunth
  • Lachnagrostis avenacea (J.F.Gmel.) Veldkamp
  • Lachnagrostis chamissonis Trin.
  • Lachnagrostis forsteri Trin.
  • Lachnagrostis retrofracta (Willd.) Trin.
  • Lachnagrostis willdenowii Trin.
  • Vilfa debilis (Poir.) P.Beauv.
  • Vilfa novae-hollandiae P.Beauv.
  • Vilfa retrofracta (Willd.) P.Beauv.

Pacific bent grass is a tufted perennial grass growing up to 65 centimeters tall. The leaf blades are flat and about 8-25 centimeters long and 2-3 millimeters wide.[4] The stems, which are round or polygonal, are hollow.[6] The inflorescence, which appears in June and July, may be from 7-30 centimeters long. It consists of a panicle of wispy strands, each with several tiny, fuzzy spikelets at the end. The spikelets are two or three millimeters long.[8]

In Australia it is a fire hazard,[3][9][10] and interferes with trains.[11][12]

Lachnagrostis filiformis is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It is particularly invasive in California, where it is a weed of sensitive vernal pool ecosystems around San Diego.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Lachnagrostis filiformis". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Common Blown-Grass". Victorian Resources Online. Archived from the original on 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  3. ^ a b "Fairy Grass". City of Ballarat. Archived from the original on 2012-03-19.
  4. ^ a b Roberts, Philip D.; Parker, Chris (December 10, 2019). "Agrostis avenacea (Pacific bent grass)". CABI Invasive Species Compendium. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "Agrostis avenacea J.F.Gmel". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  6. ^ a b "Agrostis avenacea : Blown-grass | NBN Atlas". species.nbnatlas.org. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  7. ^ Jung, Ming-Jer; Wu, Tian-Shung; Kuoh, Chang-Sheng (September 30, 2005). "Notes on Newly Recorded Grasses in Taiwan". ResearchGate. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  8. ^ "Agrostis avenacea". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  9. ^ "Opinions Split Over Fairy Grass Solutions". The Wimmera Mail-Times. 20 Jan 2012.
  10. ^ "Controlling Lachnagrostis filiformis (Fairy grass) on dry lake beds in western Victoria, Australia". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08.
  11. ^ "Trekking millipedes sideline trains". The Age. 29 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Ballarat line infrastructure". Archived from the original on 2013-04-12.
  13. ^ California Invasive Plant Council
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