Scientific Family
Poaceae
Synonyms
Agrostis semiverticillata, Agrostis verticillata, Agrostis viridis, Polypogon semiverticillatus
Other common names
beardless rabbit'sfootgrass
water bentgrass
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
Yes
Grass Description
Origin
Native
Season
Warm
Moist sandy soils, associated with rivers, streams and irrigation ditches below 7,500 ft.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
3500
High elevation
7500
General Description
Tufted, sometimes with stolons. Stems bent near their base.
Tufted perennial, 4 to 39 inches, stems bent near base; dense pyramidal interrupted seedhead of un-awned spikelets.
Grass type
Perennial bunchgrass
Rhizomes
No
Stolons
Yes
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
No
Bushy - highly branched
No
Height with Seedheads
Greater than 36 inches
Seedhead Structure
Branched - contracted
Seedhead droops
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
October
Flower Characteristics
Flowers per Spikelet
One-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
No
Awns
Absent
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes
Seedheads 3/4 to 4 inches, pyramidal, dense but interrupted; spikelets fall entire below the glumes; glumes 1/16 inch, scabrous on back and keel, one-nerved, apices obtuse or truncate, unawned; lemmas thin, faintly nerved, smooth, shiny.
Vegetative Characteristics
Blade is hairy
No
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Flat
Blades 3/4 to 5 inches long, 1/16 to 1/4 inch wide, flat, usually hairless.
Sheath is hairy
No
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
No
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
No
Unknown.