Publication: Diagn. Pl. Nov. Hisp. 26. 1842.

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA24: "Agrostis castellana is native to southern Europe. It was introduced to North America in the 1930s for use in lawns and golf greens, under the name Agrostis tenuis "˜Highland\\\'; commercial samples of "˜Highland\\\' often contain A. capillaris. Escaped plants were collected at least as early as the 1950s, but were not recognized as belonging to A. castellana until the 1990s, when several collections were identified as such in Oregon. Recorded habitats have ranged from sunny gravel roadsides to moist ground alongside cranberry bogs, at elevations from near sea level to over 600 m. In view of its extensive commercial use for over 70 years and its drought tolerance, it is likely that it is more widespread than shown.

Agrostis castellana belongs to a Eurasian group that includes A. gigantea, A. stolonifera, and A. capillaris. It differs from A. gigantea and A. stolonifera in having shorter, truncate ligules about as short as wide, and in not possessing extensive rhizomes and stolons. It differs from A. capillaris in having clustered rather than diffuse spikelets, more abundant rhizomes, somewhat constricted panicle branches after anthesis, abundantly hairy calluses with hairs up to 0.3(0.6) mm long, and lemmas that are sometimes dorsally pubescent. It also tends to flower somewhat later than A. capillaris."

Last updated 11/22/2023 by David Giblin.