Grasses List
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Grasses List
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Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush Family [Cyperaceae] 
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Pappus:  (white, simple) |
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category
status
flower
inner
type
stem
sex
_DuddonMosses_2012_04_20_Broughton_382p7.jpg)
| 20th April 2012, Duddon Mosses, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
| 2012 was the wettest rainiest year on record in the UK, but not until after the hottest sunniest March on record. In April the rains came, and didn't cease for longer than about 2 or 3 days at a time until maybe November. Looking like snow in the middle-distance Hare's-foot Cottongrass takes advantage of the damp ground. Black Coombe on the horizon. |
_2013_06_19_Montserrat_WinterHill_GreatHill_Chorley_026p1.jpg)
| 19th June 2013, Wilders Moor, Winter Hill, Horwich, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The previous year was very wet, the one after very warm and dry from April onwards. The cottongrasses took advantage of this series of events and smothered the peaty moorland painting the hills and dales white. |
_DuddonMosses_2012_04_20_Broughton_384p4.jpg)
| 20th April 2012, Duddon Mosses, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
| A cottongrass which forms tussocks in damp boggy acidic peaty soils, usually uplands, but here not far from the estuary. |
_2009_04_21_WhaleyBridge_CatNFiddle_DanebowerQuarries_Buxton_526p11.jpg)
| 21st April 2009, Cheeks Hill, Danebower Quarries, Buxton, Derbys. | Photo: © RWD |
| Between 30-60cm tall. Each tussock contains between 300-600 tillers (the single stem plus 2 to 3 needle-like leaves emerging from a sheath at the bottom. |
_2009_04_21_WhaleyBridge_CatNFiddle_DanebowerQuarries_Buxton_520p2.jpg)
| 21st April 2009, Cheeks Hill, Danebower Quarries, Buxton, Derbys. | Photo: © RWD |
| The single inflorescence comprises a dense, tufted cyme containing multi-flowered spikelets at the top in a short spike. |
_2009_04_21_WhaleyBridge_CatNFiddle_DanebowerQuarries_Buxton_524p4.jpg)
| 21st April 2009, Cheeks Hill, Danebower Quarries, Buxton, Derbys. | Photo: © RWD |
| The anthers are long, narrow and ribbon-like covered in creamy coloured pollen. |
_2009_03_20_BromleyCross_TurtonHeights_Entwistle_507p55.jpg)
| 11th April 2007, moorland, nr Peel Monument, Bury, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Semi-translucent bracts and fluted stem. |
_2009_04_21_WhaleyBridge_CatNFiddle_DanebowerQuarries_Buxton_521p3.jpg)
| 21st April 2009, Cheeks Hill, Danebower Quarries, Buxton, Derbys. | Photo: © RWD |
| The spikelets are greyish-white and narrowly triangular. Old spent anthers are fawn coloured. |
_2007_04_11_Bury_PeelMonument_Entwistle_076p2.jpg)
| 20th March 2009, moorland, nr Turton Heights, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| With anthers at the top and tapering-triangular, whitish semi-translucent bracts. Note the leaf with veins below. |
_2013_05_31_Burnley_Worsthorn_PackHorseInn_Heptonstall_043p8.jpg)
| 31st May 2013, Gorple Gate path, Burnley-Hebden bridge. | Photo: © RWD |
| The fruiting head consists of a mass of hairs at the bottom of which the seeds are attached to be dispersed by the wind. Stem fluted near the top and striated elsewhere. |
_2013_05_31_Burnley_Worsthorn_PackHorseInn_Heptonstall_042p6.jpg)
| 31st May 2013, Gorple Gate path, Burnley-Hebden bridge. | Photo: © RWD |
| Half'n'half. |
_2013_05_31_Burnley_Worsthorn_PackHorseInn_Heptonstall_038p5.jpg)
| 31st May 2013, Gorple Gate path, Burnley-Hebden bridge. | Photo: © RWD |
| A fruiting head: the hare's tail: a mass of white hairs. |
_DuddonMosses_2012_04_20_Broughton_372p9.jpg)
| 20th April 2012, Duddon Mosses, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
| Another half'n'half please. |
_DuddonMosses_2012_04_20_Broughton_368p4.jpg)
| 20th April 2012, Duddon Mosses, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
| The greyish-white spiklets. Stem minutely ridged/fluted (take your pick). |
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Not to be semantically confused with : Hare's-tail Grass (Lagorus ovatus) [another Grass Family (Poaceae) plant with a similar name, but which grows near the sea rather than on acid upland bogs] nor with Cirsium eriophorum (Woolly Thistle) a member of the Daisy & Dandelion Family (Asteraceae) nor with Hare's-Foot Clover (Trifolium arvense), a member of the Pea Family (Fabaceae).
Can be mistaken for : other Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : Easily distinguished from other Cottongrasses because it is the only one with just one spike atop a stem, the others have multiple (3-7), usually drooping, heads on short stalks.
No relation to : Cottonweed (Achillea maritima) [a plant with similar name belonging to the Daisy & Dandelion Family (Asteraceae)] nor to Although superficially similar to some grasses (Poaceae), Cottongrasses are in the Sedge Family (Cyperaceae).
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 Eriophorum
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vaginatum
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⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Cyperaceae
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 Eriophorum (CottonGrasses) |
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Sedge Club- & Spike-Rush Family [Cyperaceae]
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