Poaceae . . . . . Grass family

Leaves usually linear, flat, long and thin (though often rolled up), usually clearly separated into a cylindrical lower part (sheath) and a flat upper part by a ligule of membrane or hairs; stems usually hollow; flowers much reduced in units (spikelets) of 1-many florets in simple to complex inflorescences (see pics):

1-2(3) florets/spikelet
multiple florets/spikelet
spikelets in compact terminal heads

Plant woody or herbaceous:

Woody
Herbaceous

Choose form of flowering shoot (9 options):

Dense spike
One-sided spike
Single spike with spikelets alternately arranged
Loose/spreading 'panicle'

Digitate
Ligule of hairs
Tiny plants (to c.8cm)
Mountain plants

See also Woodrushes

N.B. Woodrushes (Juncaceae) are characterised by flat leaves with hairy edges

Dense, usually cylindrical, spikes

Spike one-sided

Dense spike but with clearly alternate spikelets

Loose spreading panicle (can appear condensed when young):

Without awns (or <1mm)
With awns (> c.1 mm)
Spikelets with 1-2(3) florets
Spikelets with 3+ florets
Spikelets with 1-2(3) florets
Spikelets with 3+ florets

Loose spreading panicle; spikelets with 1 - 2(3) un-awned florets

Loose spreading panicle; spikelets with many un-awned florets

Loose spreading panicle; awned spikelets with 1 - 2(3) florets

Loose spreading panicle; awned spikelets with many florets

Digitate (or nearly so) flower spike

Ligule of hairs

Minute plants often <8 cm tall

Mountain plants often reproducing by shoots from flowers

Agrostis . . . . . Bents

These are difficult to distinguish with precision, requiring microscopic examination, so only samples of 4 of the c.10 main BI spp shown here

Agrostis canina . . . . Velvet Bent

Common; ligules of main stem lvs < 4mm

Agrostis capillaris . . . . Common Bent (= A. tenuis)

Common throughout BI; Ligules of main stem leaves short (<2mm), awns generally 0

Agrostis curtisii . . . . Bristle Bent (= A. setacea)

Common on dry sandy heaths in SW En; densely tufted with long awns

Agrostis stolonifera . . . . Creeping Bent

Abundant in damp areas throughout BI; long trailing stolons; flowers rarely with awns
Other relatively common bent spp. include A. gigantea (Black Bent), A. vinealis (Brown Bent) and A. scabra (Rough Bent)

Aira . . . . . Hair-grass

Aira caryophyllea . . . . Silver Hair-grass

Frequent across BI on dry walls, heaths or dunes, usually <15cm but to 30cm

Aira praecox . . . . Early Hair-grass

Common on dry walls, heaths and dunes; usu. <8cm

Alopecurus . . . . . Foxtails

Choose from:
A. pratensis
A. geniculatus
A. myosuroides
A. magellanicus

Do not confuse with Timothy grasses (Phleum spp.) with diverging 'horns' and parallel sided heads

Alopecurus aequalis . . . . Orange Foxtail

In En and Wa - similar places to Marsh Foxtail but less common ; lemmas unawned; anthers orange

Alopecurus geniculatus . . . . Marsh Foxtail

Wet grassland or marshes; conspicuous "knees" at lower nodes which can root; yellow to purple anthers

Alopecurus magellanicus . . . . Alpine Foxtail

Rare, in mountain flushes of N Br

Can be confused with Phleum alpinum from similar sites

Alopecurus myosuroides . . . . Black-grass or Black Twitch

A bad annual weed of winter cereals, esp. in S & E Br, scattered elsewhere

Alopecurus pratensis . . . . Meadow Foxtail

A common early flowering perennial grass on rich soils; glumes hairy; anthers yellow or purple

Other spp. less common include A. bulbosus.
Timothy grasses (Phleum spp.) are similar but spikes are more perfectly cylindrical.

Ammophila . . . . . Marram

Ammophila arenaria . . . . Marram

Common on coastal sand dunes

Anisantha . . . . . Bromes

Choose between the three commoner spp. (in LH 2 pics) and A. madritensis (RH pic -which has a v. dense head in comparison):

Anisantha diandra . . . . Great Brome

Lemmas >20 mm; common exc. W Sc and NW En and W/N Ire

Anisantha madritensis . . . . Compact Brome

Rather local in S and CI and Scilly and SE Ire

Anisantha rigida . . . . Ripgut Brome

Lemmas >20 mm; rather local and scattered in Scilly, CI and E En; Note short stalks to spikelets

Anisantha sterilis . . . . Sterile Brome

Lemmas <20 mm; common exc. in N & W of Sc and Ire

Anthoxanthum . . . . . Sweet Vernal-grass

Anthoxanthum odoratum . . . . Sweet Vernal-grass

Common; charcteristic hairs at base of lf blade

Arrhenatherum . . . . False Oat-grass

Arrhenatherum elatius . . . . False Oat- grass

Common; spikelets <c.10 mm

Avena . . . . . Oat-grass

Avena barbata . . . . Slender Oat-grass

Lemmas with apical points <2mm; rare alien in Guernsey; a similar sp. is A. strigosa

Avena fatua . . . . Wild Oat

Note tuft of hairs at base of lemma (see 4th pic)

Avena sativa . . . . Oat

Avenella . . . . . Wavy hair-grass

Was Deschampsia flexuosa

Avenella flexuosa (was Deschampsia) . . . . Wavy Hair-grass

Acid heaths throughout BI exc. C En and Ire; ligule blunt 0.5-3 mm

Also the rather local in bogs (esp. coastal in N & W) Bog Hair-grass (Aristavena setacea) which has a longer and sharp ligule (2-8 mm)

Avenula . . . . Downy oat grass

(has been Helictotrichon)

Avenula pubescens . . . . Downy Oat-grass

Grassland throughout BI, esp. on chalk/limestone in S En; hairy lower sheath, lemma with 4 teeth (arrowed)

See Helictochloa for the similar H. pratensis

Brachypodium . . . . . False-brome

Brachypodium pinnatum . . . . Heath False-brome

Awns <5 mm, ligule >1.8 mm, spikelets and leaf sheaths hairy, flat lvs, scattered in grassland En, Wa & Ire; [N.B. B. pinnatum has historically been used for Tor Grass (= B. rupestre)]

Brachypodium rupestre (historically called B. pinnatum!) . . . Tor-grass

V. similar to the above, awns <5 mm, ligule <1.8 mm, but spikelets and leaf sheaths usu. hairless, inrolled lvs c.5mm wide, flower stalks erect; scattered in grassland on chalk and limestone in C, S & E En; definitive separation of the spp. requires a microscope

Brachypodium sylvaticum . . . Slender False-brome

Characteristic pale-green broad soft leaves, awns >7 mm; widespread in shady woodland

Briza . . . . . Quaking-grass

Briza maxima . . . . Large Quaking-grass

Briza media . . . . Lesser Quaking grass

Bromopsis . . . . . Bromes

Bromopsis erecta . . . . Upright Brome

The commonest tall grass of calcareous grassland, esp. in S & E; flowers often purplish

Bromopsis ramosa . . . . Hairy Brome

Very hairy leaves and sheaths, with hairs often downward-pointing; has pointed auricles (fig. 3- after Rose) unlike other most bromes; panicle hanging; lowest node of panicle with 2 long branches; hairy scale below lowest panicle branches (pic 5); common in shady woodland

Bromopsis benekenii . . . . Lesser Hairy-brome

Similar to B. ramosa (may be subsp.) but slightly smaller; panicle swept to one side; lowest node of panicle with >2 branches some with few spikelets (and the scale -c.f. pic above- hairless); hairless upper lf sheath
See also Bromus, Anisantha, Ceratochloa and Drymochloa (this is similar but spikelets <15 mm excl. awns); lvs wider (>4mm) than Festuca

Bromus . . . . . Brome Grass

Bromus racemosus . . . . Smooth Brome

Has "more leathery" lemmas than B. hordeaceus (which are 'papery' and with prominent veins); locally frequent in C & S Br; also incorporates Meadow Brome (B. commutatus)

Bromus hordeaceus . . . . Soft Brome

V. variable; 4 subspp. recognised; the tiny plants of dunes and cliff-tops are likely to be subsp. thominii if flowers hairless, or subsp. ferronii if glumes hairy (see below)
These subspp. include:

Bromus hordeaceus subsp. longipedicellatus . . . . Smooth Brome

Up to 1.5 m, with many spikelets, some with long pedicels - mostly hairy, papery spikelets with prominent veins, scattered thoughout UK esp. in S

Bromus hordeaceus subsp. feronii . . . . Soft Brome

Plant to 15 cm, lemmas 6.5-7.5mm, florets (glumes and lemmas) are hairy, locally frequent on cliff-tops and dunes by sea esp. in CI and S

Bromus hordeaceus subsp. thominii . . . . Soft Brome

Plant to 8 cm, few spikelets, lemmas 6.5-7.5mm, local on cliff-tops and dunes by sea esp. in CI and S

See also Bromopsis, Anisantha, Ceratochloa

Calamagrostis . . . . . Small-reed

N.B. Long hairs in spikelets

Calamagrostis canescens . . . . Purple Small-reed

Less common than the below but in largely similar areas, esp. C E En; ligules 2-4 mm; upper side of lf hairy

Calamagrostis epigejos . . . . Wood Small-reed

In damp open woodland and heaths across BI, mostly towards S & E; jagged ligules 4-10 mm
There are also three other rare spp.

Catabrosa . . . . . Whorl-grass

Catabrosa aquatica . . . . Whorl-grass

Throughout the BI in water

Catapodium . . . . . Fern-grass

Catapodium marinum . . . . Sea Fern-grass

All round the coasts of BI

Catapodium rigidum . . . . Fern-grass

Throughout En, Wa and Ire, but uncommon in Sc exc. on coast S of Edinburgh

Ceratochloa . . . . . Bromes

Ceratochloa cathartica . . . . Rescue Brome

Strongly flattened spikelets with sharp edges; CI, Scilly and SE En - scattered elsewhere in En

Ceratochloa carinata . . . . California Brome

Similar to above, scattered in Br (esp. nr. London & Liverpool); distinguished from C. cathartica by awns (>4mm), ligule <3mm (pic), palea and lemma nearly same length (pic 4), hairs just below lf blade.

Cortaderia . . . . . Pampas-grass

Choose from:

Cortaderia selloana . . . . Pampas-grass

Widely planted but naturalised where thrown out; silvery-white upright flowers from August, veins equal; the main sp. in S Br

Cortaderia richardii . . . . Early Pampas-grass

More common than the above in W & N; off-white (yellowish) flowers from June, lvs have minor and major veins

Corynephorus . . . . . Grey Hair-grass

Corynephorus canescens . . . . Grey Hair-grass

Very similar to Koeleria macrantha (see L of Fig 3) but much more silvery; very local in Jersey, East Anglia, Moray firth and a few other locations

Cynodon . . . . Bermuda-grass

Cynodon dactylon . . . . Bermuda-grass

Characteristic digitate flower heads; Common in CI and Scilly; also occurs in S En and S Wa

Compare also: Digitaria

Cynosurus . . . . . Dog's-tail

Cynosurus cristatus . . . . Crested Dog's-tail

Common

Cynosurus echinatus . . . . Rough Dog's-tail

Local in CI, Scilly and S En

Dactylis . . . . . Cock's-foot

Dactylis glomerata . . . . Cock's-foot

A very common grass, with broad lvs and flattened stems

Viviparous forms frequently found:

Danthonia . . . . . Heath-grass

Danthonia decumbens . . . . Heath-grass

Deschampsia . . . . . Tufted Hair-grass

Deschampsia caespitosa . . . . Tufted Hair-grass

A widespread tall (>1 m) grass of woodland esp. on acid soils

See also Avenella (was D. flexuosa)

Digitaria . . . . . Hairy Finger-grass

Digitaria sanguinalis . . . . Hairy Finger-grass

Locally common in CI and scattered in S

See also: Cynodon

Drymochloa . . . . . Wood Fescue

Drymochloa sylvatica . . . . Wood Fescue

Uncommon in moist woody ravines in N & W; base of stem has persistent pointed leafless sheaths

Echinochloa . . . . . Cockspur

Echinochloa crus-galli . . . . Cockspur

Elymus . . . . . Couch

Choose from:
Couch
Sea Couch
Sand Couch
Bearded Couch

Elymus athericus (was Elytrigia atherica). . . . Sea Couch

Common on coasts in S, rare in Sc; Tall - up to 120 cm; spikelets overlapping; leaf veins without hairs - often hard to distinguish from glaucous (maritime) variants of E. repens

Elymus caninus . . . . Bearded Couch

Scattered in shady woodland and riversides throughout BI, esp. in En and Wa

Elymus junceiformis (was Elytrigia juncea) . . . Sand Couch

Common all around BI coasts; Shorter (to 60 cm) and more spreading than E. atherica, spikelets hardly overlapping; leaf veins minutely hairy

Elymus repens (was Elytrigia repens) . . . . Common Couch

Abundant on cultivated or waste ground, also near the sea, throughout BI, no short hairs on sheath margin

Elytrigia . . . . . Couch

See Elymus

Festuca . . . . . Fescues

Several flat-leaved spp. with leaf auricles clasping the stem have been moved to Schedonorus. Another broad-lvd fescue is Drymochloa sylvatica (Wood Fescue), which is similar to Bromopsis but spikelets <15mm (excl. awns) and is restricted to wet ravines in N & W

Note that many Festuca spp. have been identified, but they are very hard to separate, requiring detailed examination, so here just the main groupings (F. ovina and F. rubra are described with a few other examples shown. Distinguishing features include - whether tillers come out at base or within leaf sheaths (LH pic) and whether leaf sheaths fused (lvs easily pulled away from the stem or not (RH pic)):

Festuca ovina . . . . Sheep's-fescue

A very common grass with tillers emerging from within the lower leaf sheaths; leaf sheaths not fused (lvs easily pulled away from the stem - see RHS of Fig. 4)

This agg. includes rare spp. such as:

Festuca huonii . . . . Huon's Fescue

Panicles only just emergent at flowering; rare on cliffs in CI

Festuca amoricana . . . . Breton Fescue

Jersey, rare

Festuca rubra agg. . . . . Red Fescue

A very common grass like F. ovina but lvs of flowering stems sometimes flat (not thread-like) and tiller leaf sheaths fused to mouth (not split below the ligule - see fig on R below); tillers emerge at right angles from the base (see Fig on L).
Plants with lvs >4 mm wide likely to be F. altissima

Festuca heterophylla . . . . Various-leaved Fescue

Basal lvs thread-like, upper flat

Festuca vivipara . . . . Viviparous Fescue

On hills/mountains esp. in W & N

Glyceria . . . . . Sweet-grass

       G. fluitans
          G. declinata
   G. maxima

Glyceria fluitans . . . . Floating Sweet-grass

Wet places, often in water; note that there are usually only 1 or 2 branches at each node of the flower spike

Glyceria declinata . . . . Small Sweet-grass

The lemmas have a three-pointed tip

Glyceria maxima . . . . Sweet Reed-grass

Tall (to 2m+), lvs 2cm wide with toothed edges; Frequent in or close to rivers, ponds, etc, esp. in En, C and E Sc; less common elsewhere

Helictochloa . . . . . Meadow Oat-grass

Was Avenula or Helictotrichon

Helictochloa pratensis . . . . Meadow Oat-grass

Similar places to Avenula but commoner on mountains and hardly in Ire or SW Br; largely unbranched flower spike

See also Avenula for the similar A. pubescens

Hierochloe . . . . . Holy-grass

Hierochloe odorata . . . . Holy-grass

Local in marshy areas in S & C Sc

Holcus . . . . . Soft-grasses

The two spp. are rather similar, tho' H. lanatus (on L) flowers earlier than H. mollis (on R) in each pic; they differ esp. in awn length, "hairy knees" and habitat with the latter usu. in more shade

Holcus lanatus . . . . Yorkshire-fog

Hairy lf sheaths, any awns <1mm; common on rough grassland throughout the BI

Holcus mollis . . . . Creeping Soft-grass

Conspicuous hairy nodes, awns usu. >1mm; common in shady grassland (e.g. in woods) exc. w Ire

Hordeum . . . . . Barley

Hordeum murinum . . . . Wall Barley

Lvs with pointed auricles; a common annual

Hordeum secalinum . . . . Meadow Barley

A perennial, glumes reduced to awns; C, S & E En but scattered elsewhere (photos M Ogden)
Other barleys include H. marinum (Sea Barley), in which auricles are not pointed, locally common by the sea in S Br, and H. jubatum (Foxtail Barley) in E & C Br and by salted roads. Also escaped cultivated 2-row Barley (H. distichon) and 6-row Barley (H. vulgare) (of which a 4-row cv. shown).
2-row Barley
6-row Barley

Koeleria . . . . . Crested Hair-grass

Koeleria macrantha . . . . Crested Hair-grass

Throughout BI especially near the sea on calcareous soils or dunes

Also the rare Somerset Hair-grass (Koeleria vallesiana) which is restricted to limestone grassland in N Somerset; distinguished by swollen stem base and residual mat of dead leaf sheaths

Lagurus . . . . . Hare's-tail

Lagurus ovatus . . . . Hare's-tail

Abundant near sea in CI, an uncommon casual elsewhere esp. Devon and Sussex

Leymus . . . . . Lyme-grass

Leymus arenarius . . . . Lyme-grass

Frequent on mobile dunes around BI coasts but not common in the S En, S & W Ire or CI; distinguished from Marram by broad bluish lvs

Lolium . . . . . Rye-grass

Lolium multiflorum . . . . Italian Rye-grass

Widely planted in grassland, less common in N & W of Br &Ire

Lolium perenne . . . . Perennial Rye-grass

Common grass, widely planted component of grass mixes

Melica . . . . . Melick

Melica nutans . . . . Mountain Melick

Scattered in woods on limestone, mostly in Sc and N En, but extending S to N Wa

Melica uniflora . . . . Wood Melick

Locally commmon in woods exc. CI, N Sc and much of S & W Ire

Mibora . . . . . Early Sand-grass

Mibora minima . . . . Early Sand-grass

A tiny, v. early-flowering local plant of sandy soils by sea, esp. in CI, Anglesey and Lancashire

Milium . . . . . Wood Millet

Milium effusum . . . . Wood Millet

In shady woodland throughout BI, more common in S & C Br

Miscanthus . . . . . Silver-grass

Miscanthus sinensis . . . . Chinese Silver-grass

An increasingly planted oriental grass that has naturalised especially in the London area

Molinia . . . . . Purple Moor-grass

Molinia caerulea . . . . Purple Moor-grass

Tufted, on wet acid moorland or bogs, widespread, hairy ligules and tough stems

Nardus . . . . . Mat-grass

Nardus stricta . . . . Mat-grass

On acid heaths, moors and mountains - often dominant

Nassella . . . . . Needle-grass (previously Stipa)

Nassella tenuissima . . . . Argentine Needle-grass (previously Stipa)

Widely planted and sometimes naturalising (CI, En, Wa and S & E Ire)

Several other spp. occur as aliens including N. neesiana which is much bigger with glumes c.2cm

Panicum . . . . . Millets

Panicum capillare . . . . Witch-grass

An unusual birdseed casual - mostly in the S and E of En; spikelets 1.5-3 mm

Panicum miliaceum . . . . Common Millet

More frequent casual than P. capillare in En and Wa, and SW Ire; spikelets c. 5 mm; note the hairy sheath (cf. Sorghum)

Parapholis . . . . . Hard-grass

Parapholis strigosa . . . . Hard-grass

Frequent on coasts N to C Sc; flowering spikes nearly straight

Parapholis incurva . . . . Curved Hard-grass

Unlike the above, the flower spike usually part enclosed by leaf sheath; usually <10cm; Local on coasts Ci and S Br

Pennisetum . . . . . Feathertop grass

Pennisetum villosum . . . . Feathertop grass

Introduced ornamental grass sometimes establishing itself in S

Phalaris . . . . . Canary-grasses

Phalaris arundinacea . . . . Reed Canary-grass

Common in damp places across Br; fl heads condensed when fruiting

Do not confuse with other "reeds":
Phragmites
Glyceria

Phalaris canariensis . . . . Canary-grass

Annual, cf. P. aquatica below

Phleum . . . . . Cat's-tails

Flowers in spikes with characteristic paired 'horns'
P. pratense
P. bertolonii
P. arenarium
P. alpinum

Do not confuse with Foxtails (Alopecurus) with tapering heads

Phleum alpinum . . . . Alpine Cat's tail


Can be confused with Alopecurus magellanicus from similar sites

Phleum arenarium . . . . Sand Cat's-tail

Phleum pratense . . . . . Timothy

Common; glumes (incl. awns) >4mm; P. bertolonii Smaller Cat's-tail is very similar - but smaller (shown on RHS of 3rd picture)

Phleum bertolonii . . . . Smaller Cat's-tail

Smaller Cat's-tail is very similar to P. pratense - but smaller with heads only a few cm long and glumes <3.6mm (inc. awns)

Phragmites . . . . . Common Reed

Phragmites australis . . . . Common Reed

Common in wet places; note the hairy ligule

Do not confuse with other "reeds":
Phalaris
Glyceria
Calamagrostis

Poa . . . . . Meadow-grasses

Only a few of the many spp. in the BI are illustrated here; many spp. have flattened unawned spikelets and characteristic 'boat-shaped' upper lvs:

Most are difficult to separate - some guidance given in table:
Woodland plants
Grassland
Mountain plants
Large plants
P. nemoralis
P. annua
P. alpina
P. chaixii
P. trivialis
P. infirma
P. glauca
P. trivialis
P. chaixii
P. pratensis
P. nemoralis
P. bulbosa
P. annua
P. trivialis
P. compressa
P. humilis
P. angustifolia

Poa annua . . . . Annual Meadow-grass

Very common; 'tooth-marked' (transversely wrinkled -Fig2) lvs. [The similar Early Meadow-grass (P. infirma) occurs mostly in S BI and has squarish anthers <0.5 mm vs. long anthers]

Poa alpina . . . Alpine Meadow-grass

Leaves abruptly narrowed at tip; often viviparous; local on mountains

Poa bulbosa . . . Bulbous Meadow-grass

Mostly on sandy soil nr the sea in S Br; characteristic bulbous base to stems; narrow lvs <2mm; is sometimes viviparous

Poa chaixii . . . Broad-leaved Meadow-grass

A large plant (to 1.5 m) with lvs >1 cm wide, scattered in woods etc. in Br esp. in Sc, lowest panicle node with 4-7 branches

Poa compressa . . . . Flattened Meadow-grass

Clearly flattened stem; bent at nodes; scattered on waysides throughout BI

Poa glauca . . . . Glaucus Meadow-grass

Glaucus; top lf <1/2 way up stem; local on mountains in Sc

Poa infirma . . . . Early Meadow-grass

Flowers early (often finished by April), with branches not spreading widely and has squarish anthers <0.6 mm vs. long anthers in P.annua; scattered on waysides and paths, especially near coasts, mostly in the CI, Scilly and the S BI

Poa nemoralis . . . . Wood Meadow-grass

Common in shady woods (exc. S&W Ire), also on mountains; characteristic sprays of small oval spikelets with many narrow (2mm) lvs at right-angle to stem (pic. 4), minute ligule

Poa pratensis . . . . Smooth Meadow-grass

Common; creeping, not tufted; smooth lf sheaths,ligule 1-3 mm, panicle branches usu. in groups of 3-5

Similar is P. humilis (spreading Meadow-grass) to c.30 cm with 3-veined equal sized pointed glumes

Poa trivialis . . . . Rough Meadow-grass

Rough upper lf sheath (check by running lips down it); ligule >4 mm; very common in open woods and damp grassland
Many other Poa spp. recognised, e.g. Poa angustifolia with lvs < 2 mm wide

Polypogon . . . . . Water Bent

Polypogon monspeliensis . . . . Annual Beard-grass

Rather rare in damp places by the sea in S & SE En and as a casual on waste ground

Polypogon viridis . . . . Water Bent

On roadsides and waste ground, esp. in CI and S to C Br and SE Ire but spreading rapidly; local in Scotland

Pseudosasa . . . . . Arrow Bamboo

Pseudosasa japonica . . . . Arrow Bamboo


Many other Bamboos have been introduced and sometimes escape from cultivation - e.g. in old parks, etc., these include spp. of Sinarundinaria (Fountain Bamboos), Pleioblastis, Sasa, Sasaella, and Chimonobambusa.

Puccinellia . . . . . Saltmarsh-grass

Puccinellia distans . . . . Reflexed Saltmarsh- grass

A tufted plant with lemmas <2.8mm, anthers >0.75mm; more common on saltmarshes in E Br

Note there are two subspp. and several hybrids as well as two other tufted spp in BI

Puccinellia maritima . . . . Saltmarsh-grass

Spreading with many tillers and rooting stolons; lemmas >2.8mm; common round coasts in saltmarshes

Schedonorus . . . . . Fescues

Schedonorus was until recently included among Festuca. The 3 common spp. are compared below:

Schedonorus arundinaceus . . . . Tall Fescue

A tall, tufted grass to c.1.5 m, with pointed & often hairy auricles clasping stem (see pic 1-arrow), rough sheaths and lf edges, and white leaf sheaths at base of stem; common in grassy places and damp shady areas

Schedonorus giganteus . . . Giant Fescue

(=Festuca giganteus)Wavy awns and broad lvs; common shady places exc. N Sc & CI

Schedonorus pratensis . . . . Meadow Fescue

Similar to S. arundinaceus, but smaller (to c.1 m), lvs c. 4mm wide with only fine teeth; lower sheaths brown (not white); hairless auricles; Note that only one long branch plus 1 or 2) sessile spikelets at each node; common in damp meadows, waysides, etc.

Sesleria . . . . . Blue Moor-grass

Sesleria caerulia . . . . Blue Moor-grass

Locally common on limestone in W Ire and N En

Setaria . . . . . Bristle-grasses

Several spp. are found scattered as introduced casuals, mostly from the Midlands S-wards: e.g.

Setaria pumila . . . . Yellow Bristle-grass (or Yellow Foxtail-grass)


Setaria verticillata . . . . Rough Bristle-grass

A scattered casual mainly S of Manchester; the head feels rough owing to backward bristles

Sorghum . . . . . Sorghum

Sorghum bicolor . . . . Sorghum

A birdseed casual, esp. in S; hairy fringe to ligule but hairless leaf sheath (c.f. Panicum

Spartina . . . . . Cord-grass

Spartina anglica . . . . Common Cord-grass

Saltmarshes around the coast, esp. S from S Sc and S Ire

A number of similar Spartina spp. occur with more local distribution

Spartina pectinata . . . . Prairie Cord-grass

A large plant with dense spikes of paired fls coming off it, ligule of hairs; grown for ornament but can persist

Sporobolus . . . . . Dropseed

Sporobolus indicus . . . . Dropseed

An uncommon birdseed casual

Stipa . . . . . Needle-grass


See Nassella

Trisetum . . . . . Oat-grass

Trisetum flavescens . . . . Yellow Oat-grass

Grassland, esp. calcareous - common S of C Sc; has characteristic kinked awn

Triticum . . . . . Wheat

Triticum aestivum . . . . Wheat

At edges of old cereal fields, roads and farmland; topmost leaf broad and substantial - distinguishes from Barley which has small 'flag' leaf

Vulpia . . . . . Fescues

Vulpia bromoides . . . . Squirrel-tail Fescue

Throughout BI, but less frequent in N Sc; lower glume >1/2 length of upper (see 4th pic); upper leaf sheath ending well below flowers

Vulpia fasciculata . . . . Dune Fescue

Locally common on sand dunes in Br and Ire, commonest in W; inflated upper lf sheath, lower glume v. short or 0, upper relatively v. long and awned (see 4th image)

Vulpia myuros . . . . Rat's-tail Fescue

Most common in S half of BI, but occurs further N; lower glume c.1/4 length of upper (see 4th image); upper leaf sheath reaching the flowers

Zea . . . . . Maize

Zea mais . . . . Maize

An agricultural crop rarely self-seeding