Grasses

Grass is, of course, around us pretty well everywhere. In places (parks and gardens) we actively encourage it and manage it, elsewhere we try to get rid of it! It forms the dominant vegetative species in many of our frequently occurring habitat types. As always, grass is not just grass! There are different species of grass and yet most of us take no interest in trying to distinguish between them but then it can be quite difficult to do so. In this first of two series I will consider some of the more common and distinctive grasses and their features. Grasses have a florescence but not of the type we associate with wild flowers so I have included them under non-flowering plants as that is where I am sure most 'novice' naturalists would look for them.