BLUE MOOR-GRASS

Sesleria caerulea

Grasses Family [Poaceae]

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Much shorter than Purple Moor-Grass forming a small tussock.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The flowering heads look blackish with the odd tinge of purple.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Less than half a metre tall, often much shorter.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Flowers are in short tight spikes.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The flowering spike is not straight, but curved, with the inward side being dark greenish.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

And the outward side much more purplish to beetroot coloured with a shiny sheen. Whatever, it is definitely not blue, as its name suggests.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Flowering stalk straight, with several leaves of differing length sheathing off at intervals.

26th April 2012, Gait Barrow, Silverdale, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves sheathing off.

Slight resemblance to some other grasses with purple heads: Alpine Cat's-tail, Purple Stem Cat's-tail, but that has a much longer spike and to Purple Moor-Grass, but that has a very much longer spike, is taller and grows on acid moorland.

Unlike the much taller Purple Moor-Grass which grows in acidic soils on moorland, Blue moor-grass grows on limestone grassland. Paradoxically, both are purple, in particular, Blue Moor-grass is not blue!

Fairly rare, inhabiting only a few dozen hectads in central England from Arnside to Newcastle, and a few more in Ireland.

There is only one in its species (at least in the UK).

USE BY BUTTERFLIES

LAYS EGGS ON	CATERPILLAR	CHRYSALIS	BUTTERFLY
	✓
	Scotch Argus [England]

Sesleria

caerulea

⇐ Global Aspect ⇒

Poaceae

Distribution
family8Grasses family8Poaceae
BSBI maps

Sesleria
(Blue Moor-Grass)