Family: Poaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 62 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Agrostis
Vegetable: False
Observations: Europe to N. China and Afghanistan
Description
New Zealand bent grass, scientifically known as Agrostis capillaris, is an intriguing species that belongs to the Poaceae family. First described in 1753 by the botanist Carl Linnaeus, this grass is notable for its wide geographical distribution, extending from Europe to Northern China and Afghanistan.
Agrostis capillaris is characterized by its fine, delicate foliage and versatility in a range of climates and soils. This adaptability makes it a common choice for use in lawn and turf applications, especially in temperate regions. Its dense, mat-forming growth habit helps prevent soil erosion, maintain moisture, and suppress weed development, contributing to its popularity in landscaping and ground cover.
The plant has small, inconspicuous flowers that fit well within its fine-textured foliage. These flowers bloom in delicate inflorescences, giving the plant a soft, elegant appearance. Despite its modest size and less showy nature compared to some flowering plants, New Zealand bent grass adds a subtle charm to any area it inhabits.
Historically, it has been highly valued not only for its aesthetic contributions but also for its practical uses. In addition to being implemented in landscaping, it has been used for forage in agricultural settings, proving beneficial for grazing animals due to its nutritious value.
A testament to Agrostis capillaris’ resilience is its ability to thrive in a variety of conditions and its ability to establish rapidly. This feature is particularly useful for ecological restoration projects, aiming to stabilize otherwise vulnerable landscapes. Its root system is effective in binding soil, thereby mitigating the risk of erosion and aiding in the recovery of disturbed sites.
In conclusion, Agrostis capillaris, or New Zealand bent grass, is a remarkable plant distinguished by its fine texture, versatility, and wide range. Its extensive distribution from Europe to Northern China and Afghanistan underscores its adaptability and ecological importance. Whether used for decorative lawns, functional turf, or in land restoration projects, this grass stands out as a valuable species within its family.
Common Names
Dan: almindelig hvene
Eng: bent grass, browntop, browntop bent, colonial bent, colonial bent grass, colonial bentgrass, common bent, common bent grass, new zealand bent grass, prince edward island bent grass, rhode island bent, rhode island bent grass, waipu
Deu: rotes straussgras, rotes straußgras, rotstraußgras, gemeines straußgras
Fra: agrostide commune, agrostide fine, agrostide ténue, agrostis commun
Ita: agrostide tenue
Spa: agróstide común, hierba fina
Nno: engkvein
Nob: engkvein
Nor: fiinhveen, fiinhvine, haarhveen, haarkjøse, rø-kjøsa, vesselkjøsa
Nld: gewoon struisgras
Swe: nurmirölli, rödven
Fin: nurmirölli
En: New Zealand bent grass, Colonial bent, Colonial bent grass, Common bent, Common bent grass, Bent grass, Rhode Island bent, Rhode Island bent grass, Prince Edward Island bent grass, Waipu, Browntop, Browntop bent, Colonial bentgrass, Common Bentgrass, Colonial bent(grass), Prince Edward Island bentgrass, Brown Top
Be: Мятліца звычайная
Bg: Обикновена полевица
Ca: Agrostis tènue
Zh: Xi ruo jian gu ying, 丝状剪股颖, 霞糠穗草
Hr: Obična rosulja
Cs: Psineček obecný
Da: Almindelig Hvene
Nl: Gewoon struisgras
Et: Harilik kastehein
Fi: Nurmirölli
Fr: Agrostide ténue, Agrostide commune, Agrostide fine, Agrostis commun, Agrostide capillaire, Agrostis capillaire, Agrostis commune, Agrostis ténu, Traînasse, Agrostide vulgaire
De: Rotstraußgras, Gemeines Straußgras, Rot-Straußgras, Rotes Straußgras, Rotes Straussgras, Schmaler Windhalm
Is: Hálíngresi
It: Agrostide tenue, Cappellini dei prati, Cappellini delle praterie
Lt: Paprastoji smilga
Se: Gieddeávji
No: Fiinhveen, Fiinhvine, Haarhveen, Haarkjøse, Rø-kjøsa, Vesselkjøsa
Nb: Engkvein
Nn: Engkvein
Pl: Mietlica pospolita
Ru: Polevica tonkaâ, Полевица тонкая
Sk: Psinček tenučký
Es: Agróstide común, Hierba fina, Yerba fina
Sv: Rödven, Nurmirölli
Cy: Maeswellt cyffredin, Cawn Pensidan, Maeswellt Addfain
Synonyms
- Agrostis vulgaris var. pumila ((L.) Sm.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. losae (Sennen)
- Decandolia vulgaris ((With.) T.Bastard)
- Agrostis alba subvar. pumila ((L.) Coss. & Germ.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. arenicola (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Agrostis canina var. varians ((Thuill.) Ducommun)
- Vilfa pumila ((L.) P.Beauv.)
- Agrostis pumila var. aristata (Ferrary)
- Agrostis laxa var. pumila (Gray)
- Agrostis capillaris var. canina ((G.Sinclair) Tzvelev)
- Agrostis capillaris var. aristata (Dogan)
- Agrostis vernalis (Trin.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. violacea ((Thuill.) Pauquy)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. setulosa (Murb.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. varians ((Thuill.) Poir.)
- Agrostis claudii (Sennen)
- Agrostis tenuis var. schurii (Beldie)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. plena (G.Mey.)
- Trichodium strictum (Roem. & Schult.)
- Agrostis tenuis f. aristata ((Parn.) Beldie)
- Milium vulgare var. divaricatum ((Hoffm.) Mérat)
- Agrostis ceretana (Sennen)
- Trichodium arenicola (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Agrostis tenuis f. montana ((Schur) Soó)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. alpigena (Schur)
- Agrostis atroviolacea (Sennen)
- Agrostis marysae-tortiae (Portal)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. minor (St.-Amans)
- Agrostis stolonifera var. minor ((Vasey) Farw.)
- Vilfa divaricata var. pumila ((L.) Gray)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. glauca (Godr.)
- Agrostis hornungiana (Schur)
- Agrostis vulgaris (With.)
- Milium hispidum ((Willd.) Lag.)
- Trichodium glaucinum ((T.Bastard) Roem. & Schult.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. convoluta (Norm.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. pumila ((L.) Druce)
- Agrostis capillaris var. violacea ((Thuill.) Chevall.)
- Agrostis alba var. minor (Vasey)
- Vilfa vulgaris ((With.) P.Beauv.)
- Agrostis hispida (Willd.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. repens (Schur)
- Agrostis tenuis subsp. oreophila (O.Schwarz)
- Agrostis polymorpha var. capillaris ((L.) Huds.)
- Agrostis tenuis var. aristata ((Parn.) Druce)
- Agrostis tenuis var. setulosa ((Murb.) Holmb.)
- Agrostis maritima (L. ex B.D.Jacks.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. parviflora (Schur)
- Agrostis retroflexa (Balb.)
- Agrostis canina var. glaucina ((T.Bastard) Delastre)
- Vilfa hispida ((Willd.) P.Beauv.)
- Agrostis palustris var. stricta ((Roem. & Schult.) House)
- Agrostis tenuis f. parviflora ((Schur) Beldie)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. pallescens (Coss. & Germ.)
- Agrostis tenuis f. umbrosa ((Schur) Beldie)
- Agrostis alba subsp. vulgaris ((With.) Bonnier & Layens)
- Milium vulgare ((With.) Mérat)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. montana (Schur)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. rigida (Schltdl.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. laxa (Schltdl.)
- Agrostis alba var. sylvatica ((Huds.) Sm.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. varians ((Thuill.) Chevall.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. divaricata ((Hoffm.) Poir.)
- Agrostis stolonifera subsp. diffusa (Čelak.)
- Agrostis tenuis var. setifrons (Podp.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. alpigena ((Schur) Portal)
- Vilfa sylvatica ((Huds.) P.Beauv.)
- Agrostis varians (Thuill.)
- Agrostis lithuanica (Besser)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. curvata (W.R.Linton)
- Agrostis polymorpha (Huds.)
- Agrostis alba subsp. sylvatica ((Huds.) K.Richt.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. ericetorum (Le Gall)
- Agrostis polymorpha var. stricta (House)
- Agrostis tenuis var. pumila ((L.) Druce)
- Agrostis helenae (Steud.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. sambukii (Tzvelev)
- Agrostis trinervata (Trin.)
- Agrostis tenuis subsp. repens ((Schur) O.Schwarz)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. aristata (Parn.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. umbracola (Schur)
- Decandolia pumila ((L.) T.Bastard)
- Agrostis glaucina (T.Bastard)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. rubra (Lej.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. dubia (Portal)
- Agrostis capillaris var. aristulata (Hitchc.)
- Agrostis capillaris var. hispida ((Willd.) Tzvelev)
- Vilfa alba var. nuda (Gray)
- Agrostis navarroi (Sennen)
- Agrostis tenuis var. hispida ((Willd.) Phillipson)
- Agrostis divaricata (Hoffm.)
- Agrostis vulgaris f. contracta (Junge)
- Agrostis capillaris f. setulosa ((Murb.) Lindm.)
- Agrostis rubra var. pumila ((L.) Wimm. & Grab.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. hornungiana ((Schur) Schur)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. humilis (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Agrostis tenuis f. contracta (Soó)
- Agrostis polymorpha var. sylvatica ((Huds.) Huds.)
- Agrestis polymorpha (Bubani)
- Agrostis capillaris var. glaucina ((T.Bastard) Portal)
- Agrostis atropurpurea (Steud.)
- Agrostis stolonifera var. hispida ((Willd.) Farw.)
- Trichodium capillare ((L.) Roth)
- Agrostis ericetorum (Bergeret)
- Agrostis stricta (Willd.)
- Agrostis stolonifera var. vulgaris ((With.) Čelak.)
- Agrostis dubia (DC.)
- Agrostis polymorpha var. pumila ((L.) Huds.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. umbrosa (Schur)
- Agrostis alba var. vulgaris ((With.) Coss. & Durieu)
- Agrostis polymorpha var. breviligulata (Neilr.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. capillaris ((L.) Steud.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. canina (G.Sinclair)
- Agrostis pumila (L.)
- Agrostis hispida var. varians ((Thuill.) Loisel.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. elongata (Duby)
- Agrostis tenuis subsp. vulgaris ((With.) O.Schwarz)
- Agrostis tenuis var. humilis ((Asch. & Graebn.) Druce)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. contracta (Hack. ex Henriq.)
- Vilfa divaricata ((Hoffm.) Gray)
- Agrostis rubra var. glauca ((Guépin) Guépin)
- Agrostis capillaris subsp. oreophila ((O.Schwarz) Soják)
- Agrostis simulans (Hemsl.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. saxatilis (Schur)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. mutica (Sinclair)
- Agrostis tenuis var. repens ((Schur) Beldie)
- Aira tenorei (Fuckel ex Willk. & Lange)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. alpestris (Schur)
- Agrostis tenuis var. hornungiana ((Schur) Beldie)
- Agrostis canina f. varians ((Thuill.) Beldie)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. collina (Schur)
- Agrostis tenuis var. alpina ((Schur) Vollm.)
- Agrostis tenuis var. scaberrima (Podp.)
- Agrostis tarda (Drude)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. vivipara (Klett & Richt.)
- Agrostis tenuis var. microstachys (Podp.)
- Agrostis alba var. aristata (A.Gray)
- Agrostis alba var. tenuis ((Sibth.) Fiori)
- Vilfa alba var. sylvatica ((Huds.) Gray)
- Agrostis laxa (Gray)
- Vilfa alba var. conferta (Gray)
- Agrostis alba var. pumila ((L.) Spenn.)
- Agrostis exilis (Loisel.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. pallida (Peterm.)
- Agrostis tenuis (Sibth.)
- Agrostis vulgaris var. hispida ((Willd.) Gaudin)
- Agrostis alba var. stricta ((Roem. & Schult.) Alph.Wood)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Albania (native)
- Altay (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Buryatiya (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- China North-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- Finland (native)
- France (native)
- Føroyar (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Iceland (native)
- Inner Mongolia (native)
- Iran (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Romania (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Alaska (introduced)
- Amsterdam-St.Paul Is (introduced)
- Antipodean Is. (introduced)
- Argentina Northeast (introduced)
- Argentina Northwest (introduced)
- Argentina South (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- Brazil South (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Canary Is. (introduced)
- Chatham Is. (introduced)
- Chile Central (introduced)
- Chile South (introduced)
- Colombia (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Crozet Is. (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Falkland Is. (introduced)
- Greenland (introduced)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Honduras (introduced)
- Idaho (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Japan (introduced)
- Kamchatka (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Kerguelen (introduced)
- Khabarovsk (introduced)
- Kuril Is. (introduced)
- Labrador (introduced)
- Macquarie Is. (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Montana (introduced)
- Nevada (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- New Zealand South (introduced)
- Newfoundland (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- North Dakota (introduced)
- Nova Scotia (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Réunion (introduced)
- Sakhalin (introduced)
- South Australia (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South Georgia (introduced)
- St.Helena (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Tristan da Cunha (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Victoria (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Western Australia (introduced)
- Wyoming (introduced)
- Yukon (introduced)
Additional Images
Habit
Taken May 29, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 29, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 4, 2022 by Anatas (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 11, 2021 by isabelle dufresne (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 9, 2022 by Daniel Bourget (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Jul 6, 2021 by Diego Alex (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 8, 2022 by Blue Bottle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 28, 2022 by Daniel Da Parigi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 19, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 12, 2019 by Jürgen Jürgenson (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Aug 28, 2022 by Petra Krejčová (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 21, 2021 by David Montgomery-Fox (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 1, 2021 by Jon sellars (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 29, 2020 by Monteiro Ana (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Beate Liebold (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 5, 2022 by yvon s (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 11, 2021 by isabelle dufresne (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 10, 2021 by Jörg D (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 15, 2008 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken Jun 20, 2020 by Marie Arnès (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jul 15, 2008 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken Aug 15, 2004 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)
Taken Jul 7, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Pascal BERGEOT (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 10, 2016 by EOL − John Barkla (cc-by-nc)
Taken Jul 11, 2021 by isabelle dufresne (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)
Taken Jul 9, 2022 by Daniel Bourget (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 18, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 18, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 1, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Bertrand BUI (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2706490)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30197865-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Agrostis capillaris L.)