GrassIdentification.qxd 13/04/2011 09:36 Page 2

1 blades narrow, 2 hairless bristle-like or tightly rolled 8a 9

9 Rhizomes present; ligule shorter than wide; Common Bent Agrostis capillaris 1a Older leaf blades broad 6 and flat, youngest leaf rolled in the shoot 9a Stolons present; ligules as 10 long broad

2 Sheath closed, often with 3 10 Leaves fresh green, U- stolons channelled; fine leaves 1- 3 mm. wide; Velvet Bent Agrostis vinealis

2a Leaf blades narrow, 5 10a Leaves grey green, flat; bristle-like or tightly rolled comparatively coarser leaves 3-5.5 mm. wide; Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera

No rhizomes present; very 3 11 Very fine leaves 0.5- fine leaves 0.6-1 mm. 0.7mm. wide; outer basal wide; Chewings Fescue leaf-sheaths hairless; rubra subsp. Slender Creeping Red commutata Fescue subsp. litoralis

3a Rhizomes present 4 11a Leaves without auricles; 12 leaf tip boat shaped 4 Very fine leaves 0.5- 0.7mm. wide; outer basal leaf-sheaths hairless; Slender Creeping Red Fescue Festuca rubra subsp. litoralis 12 Ligule less than 1mm. in length; stomata on both sides of leaf; Smooth- 4a Comparatively coarser 4 leaves 0.6-1.3mm. wide; Stalked Meadow-grass Basal outer leaf-sheaths Poa pratensis covered with backward pointing hairs; Strong Creeping Red Fescue 12a Ligule greater than 1mm. 13 Festuca rubra subsp. in length rubra Leaves bluish green; leaf- 5 13 Obvious ligule 1-3mm. blades 0.5-1 mm. wide; long; creeping stolons with 7 unequal veins and present; stomata above 4 grooves above each only; Rough-Stalked side of the midrib; basal Meadow-grass sheaths occasionally Poa trivialis pinkish; Hard Fescue Festuca brevipila 13a Obvious ligule; 7 5a Leaves dark green; 0.3- tufted; blades transversely 0.6mm. wide; with 5 wrinkled when young; (occasionally 7) veins and medium to light green 3 prominent vascular colour; stomata on both bundles; basal sheaths sides of leaf; usually white; Sheep’s-fescue flowering in short turf; Festuca ovina Annual Meadow Grass Poa annua 6 Leaf blade rolled in shoot, 7 the latter mostly cylindrical, circular in transverse section; sheaths mostly rounded on the back

6a Young leaf blade folded 11 lengthwise about the middle nerve in the shoot, the latter more or less compressed and the sheaths frequently keeled especially in the upper part; sheaths rarely rounded on the back

7 Shoots usually swollen or bulbous at the base; leaves dull, tapering green or greyish green; Timothy Phleum pratense

7a Shoots not swollen at 8 base

8 Leaves loosely to densely hairy especially on the sheath; green or greyish green; Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus