Agrostis gigantea
Red top Taxonomy
Synonyms: Agrostis alba Subspecific taxa: Classification: Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI Images
   
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Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent: Not known from county Medium confidence: Medium or unknown confidence; often old records or unverifiable observations Medium-high confidence: Often observations by expert botanists High confidence: Often vouchered herbarium records Planted / introduced: Native species introduced outside historic range, or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations) Historic / extirpated: Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated (Note that this category is not yet functional) North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON
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Species Status
Status/Listing: No Information Notes: Origin: Native
Species Description
General: Monocot, perennial Roots: adventitious, rhizomes Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape Inflorescence: panicle Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete; hypogynous ovary position Fruit: grain Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation Reproduction:
Ecology & Natural History
Habitat: Species is often distributed in degraded prairie remnants and meadows. ILPIN Notes: This is a matted perennial with purple spreading panicle. It differs from var. palustris by broader blades, erect culm with spreading purple panicle branches, and presence of rhizomes. Foliage is bluish-green. Species is found in every county. Although it is native in north of east & west hemispheres, in northern IL, the popu- lations may be introduced from Europe rather than native. Fields, along railroads and waste ground, along spring branches, wet meadows, swampy prairies, ditches, in damp thickets, alluvial ground along streams, crevices of rocks in stream beds, moist open places. Dense underground root system makes this species a good soil binder, especially on slopes. It can grow in acid soils and is used as forage crop on poor soils and in worn-out fields. Often it is used in lawn mixtures, to provide a temporary, quick-germinating cover. It is "an aggressive, sod-forming weed." This species and Phleum pratense, in June and July, cause most of the hayfever cases in the eastern United States. Functional Relationships:
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