Help with grass ID please

[Deb London]

Can anyone point me in the right direction with this one?





Thanks in advance.

[aeshna5]

One of the bents, Agrostis sp. When I've been on field trips with Tom Cope, Kew's grass authority he would be wary giving an ID in the field to many of this genus, saying that many of the characters quoted in the field guides aren't reliable!

[Dorts]

Deb, as aeshna5 has said, these 'Bents' can be quite tricky, usually need to take a piece home for a much closer look.

But, I know how we all love to have a name for our plants. Your plant doesn't look very tall, so I'll stick my neck out and say Vevet Bent - Agrostis canina. Black Bent - A. gigantea is very similar in flower but much taller.

My ID is based purely on instinct, (not always the most reliable method from a photo.)
Dorts.

[Deb London]

Hi both,

Thanks very much. That's a great start.

Deb

[King Edward]

Where did you photograph this - is it in your garden? It's probably Agrostis stolonifera, or else A. capillaris. The inflorescences of the former are mostly closed up, as in your first photo, and only open out briefly. Look at the ligule at the base of the leaf blade - it should be rounded like this: http://tinyurl.com/6gozzjs. A. capillaris has a very short, collar-like ligule.

[Deb London]

Thanks for your help KE. No, not my garden, it was growing in a nature reserve.

I have started to learn about grass anatomy and will hopefully get a book soon. At least I know what a ligule is now.

This is a quick intro. that I found useful:

Comparison of grass structure with rushes and sedges.

[King Edward]

Grasses, Sedges, Rushes & Ferns by Francis Rose is very good, but it is quite pricey. The best way to learn different grasses is to collect a lot of specimens and then sit down at home with a good book and a hand lens so you can key them out.

There generally shouldn't be any problem taking specimens, since they generally grow in large numbers and you don't need to collect the whole plant (although it is important to pull up at least one whole stem from the base, ideally with some roots, stolons/rhizomes if present and one or two non-flowering shoots (tillers).

[Deb London]

Thanks KE.

I love to sit down at home in my armchair with my hand lens, scalpels and the lamp that the OH set up for this purpose (little things make me very happy ). Thanks for the pointers about collection. And I'll look into buying that book.

[Johnny81]

A very interesting thread on Bent species. I have some in my garden which I think is Agrostis stolonifera (Creeping Bent) now I am not so sure
In the field we see many purple coloured species with no runners and thought these maybe common bent but again now not sure :/ Hmm where is that hand lens!

+ They are an absolute pain to photograph in the field!