ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Agrostis alba
 
 
 CLASS:    MONOCOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    CYPERALES
 FAMILY:   POACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Agrostis alba
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    RED TOP
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: AGAL3
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     PRAIRIE
       TYPICAL PRAIRIE
         MESIC
     WETLAND
       SEEP & SPRING
         TYPICAL SEEP
     CULTURAL
       AGRICULTURAL FIELD
       SUCCESSIONAL FIELD
       RESTORATION
         PRAIRIE
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   ADAMS           ALEXANDER       BOND            BOONE           BROWN
   BUREAU          CALHOUN         CARROLL         CASS            CHAMPAIGN
   CHRISTIAN       CLARK           CLAY            CLINTON         COLES
   COOK            CRAWFORD        CUMBERLAND      DEKALB          DEWITT
   DOUGLAS         DUPAGE          EDGAR           EDWARDS         EFFINGHAM
   FAYETTE         FORD            FRANKLIN        FULTON          GALLATIN
   GREENE          GRUNDY          HAMILTON        HANCOCK         HARDIN
   HENDERSON       HENRY           IROQUOIS        JACKSON         JASPER
   JEFFERSON       JERSEY          JO DAVIESS      JOHNSON         KANE
   KANKAKEE        KENDALL         KNOX            LAKE            LASALLE
   LAWRENCE        LEE             LIVINGSTON      LOGAN           MCDONOUGH
   MCHENRY         MCLEAN          MACON           MACOUPIN        MADISON
   MARION          MARSHALL        MASON           MASSAC          MENARD
   MERCER          MONROE          MONTGOMERY      MORGAN          MOULTRIE
   OGLE            PEORIA          PERRY           PIATT           PIKE
   POPE            PULASKI         PUTNAM          RANDOLPH        RICHLAND
   ROCK ISLAND     ST. CLAIR       SALINE          SANGAMON        SCHUYLER
   SCOTT           SHELBY          STARK           STEPHENSON      TAZEWELL
   UNION           VERMILION       WABASH          WARREN          WASHINGTON
   WAYNE           WHITE           WHITESIDE       WILL            WILLIAMSON
   WINNEBAGO       WOODFORD
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Monocot
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Parallel
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear
    INFLORESCENCE:   Panicle
    FLOWER MEROUS:  3
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   Grain
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     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.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 GEOGRAPHIC COMMENTS:
     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.
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Common
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Grasslike
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      6         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is often distributed in degraded prairie remnants and
     meadows.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     ALLERGENIC:  Yes
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     This species and Phleum pratense, in June and July, cause most
     of the hayfever cases in the eastern United States.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
     WILDLIFE COMMENTS:
         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.
 
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 REVEGATATION COMMENTS:
     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."
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Mohlenbrock, R. H.  1967-continuing.  The illustrated flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
Downton, W. J. S.  1975.  The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants.
     Photosynthetica 9(1): 96-105.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Agrostis alba
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015