Lachnagrostis filiformis

{{Short description|Species of grass}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Starr_020508-9002_Agrostis_avenacea.jpg

|genus = Lachnagrostis

|species = filiformis

|authority = (G.Forst.) Trin.

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:406770-1 |title=Lachnagrostis filiformis |date=2022 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|access-date=8 June 2022}}

|synonyms = {{Species list|

Agrostis avenacea| J.F.Gmel.|

Agrostis chamissonis| (Trin.) Trin.|

Agrostis debilis| Poir.|

Agrostis filiformis| (G.Forst.) Biehler|

Agrostis forsteri| Rich. ex Roem. & Schult.|

Agrostis lasiantha| Phil.|

Agrostis leonii| Parodi|

Agrostis ligulata| Steud.|

Agrostis novae-hollandiae| P.Beauv.|

Agrostis retrofracta| Willd.|

Agrostis solandri| F.Muell.|

Avena filiformis| G.Forst.|

Calamagrostis avenacea| (J.F.Gmel.) W.R.B.Oliv.|

Calamagrostis chamissonis| (Trin.) Steud.|

Calamagrostis filiformis| (G.Forst.) Cockayne|

Calamagrostis forsteri| (Kunth) Steud.|

Calamagrostis retrofracta| (Willd.) Link ex Steud.|

Calamagrostis willdenowii| Steud.|

Deyeuxia chamissonis| (Trin.) Kunth|

Deyeuxia filiformis| (G.Forst.) Petrie|

Deyeuxia filiformis var. aristata| (Benth.) Domin|

Deyeuxia filiformis var. laeviglumis| (Benth.) Domin|

Deyeuxia forsteri| Kunth|

Deyeuxia forsteri var. aristata| Benth.|

Deyeuxia forsteri var. laeviglumis| Benth.|

Deyeuxia retrofracta| (Willd.) Kunth|

Lachnagrostis avenacea| (J.F.Gmel.) Veldkamp|

Lachnagrostis chamissonis| Trin.|

Lachnagrostis forsteri| Trin.|

Lachnagrostis retrofracta| (Willd.) Trin.|

Lachnagrostis willdenowii| Trin.|

Vilfa debilis| (Poir.) P.Beauv.|

Vilfa novae-hollandiae| P.Beauv.|

Vilfa retrofracta| (Willd.) P.Beauv.

}}

}}

Lachnagrostis filiformis (syn. Agrostis avenacea) is a species of grass known by the common names Pacific bent grass, New Zealand wind grass, fairy grass,{{cite web|url=http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/waste-and-environment/environment/fairy-grass.aspx |publisher=City of Ballarat |title=Fairy Grass |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319185546/http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/waste-and-environment/environment/fairy-grass.aspx |archivedate=2012-03-19 }} or blown-grass. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific Islands including New Guinea and Easter Island. While it is found in a wide variety of habitats, it seems particularly invasive in areas with damp soils, such as areas near bodies of water.{{Cite web|last1=Roberts|first1=Philip D.|last2=Parker|first2=Chris|date=December 10, 2019|title=Agrostis avenacea (Pacific bent grass)|url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/95130|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=CABI Invasive Species Compendium}} It has been introduced to southern Africa,{{Cite web|title=Agrostis avenacea J.F.Gmel.|url=https://www.gbif.org/species/2706451|access-date=2021-04-22|website=www.gbif.org|language=en}} the United Kingdom, Taiwan, the southern United States and Mexico.{{Cite web|last1=Jung|first1=Ming-Jer|last2=Wu|first2=Tian-Shung|last3=Kuoh|first3=Chang-Sheng|date=September 30, 2005|title=Notes on Newly Recorded Grasses in Taiwan|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251779077|access-date=April 22, 2021|website=ResearchGate}}

Pacific bent grass is a tufted perennial grass growing up to 65 centimeters tall. The leaf blades are flat and about 8-25 centimeters long and 2-3 millimeters wide. The stems, which are round or polygonal, are hollow.{{Cite web|title=Agrostis avenacea : Blown-grass {{!}} NBN Atlas|url=https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NHMSYS0000455670#overview|access-date=2021-04-22|website=species.nbnatlas.org}} The inflorescence, which appears in June and July, may be from 7-30 centimeters long. It consists of a panicle of wispy strands, each with several tiny, fuzzy spikelets at the end. The spikelets are two or three millimeters long.{{Cite web|title=Agrostis avenacea|url=https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=12268|access-date=2021-04-22|website=ucjeps.berkeley.edu}}

In Australia it is a fire hazard,{{cite news |url=http://www.mailtimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/opinions-split-over-fairy-grass-solutions/2426874.aspx | title=Opinions Split Over Fairy Grass Solutions | publisher=The Wimmera Mail-Times |date=20 Jan 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://archimedes.ballarat.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/21708 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708170354/http://archimedes.ballarat.edu.au:8080/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/21708 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-08 |title=Controlling Lachnagrostis filiformis (Fairy grass) on dry lake beds in western Victoria, Australia }} and interferes with trains.{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/trekking-millipedes-sideline-trains-20120328-1vyri.html |title=Trekking millipedes sideline trains | publisher=The Age | date=29 March 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://railgallery.wongm.com/ballarat-station/ |title=Ballarat line infrastructure |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412144623/http://railgallery.wongm.com/ballarat-station/ |archivedate=2013-04-12 }}

Lachnagrostis filiformis is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It is particularly invasive in California, where it is a weed of sensitive vernal pool ecosystems around San Diego.[http://www.cal-ipc.org/ip/management/plant_profiles/Agrostis_avenacea.php California Invasive Plant Council]