Stace (2010) pg 1022/ Stace (2005) pg 869/ Rose (1989) pg 140/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=558.0

Importance:

• Distribution only in E.Anglia and Scotland.
• This species is listed as part of the Annex 1 habitat: 2330 Inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis grasslands: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=H2330
• “Older dunes National Rarity” (Stoddart & Joyner 2005)

This species is found growing on the dunes, noticeably near the lifeboat house in upright clumps between heights of 10 to 35cm:

The features that identify it as Grey hair grass, Corynephorus canescens are that it is a densely tufted perennial (note minute old sheaths at base) with pinkish-purplish basal leaf sheaths. Leaves are glaucous and tightly inrolled (Stace 2010):

Ligules are 2-4mm long.

Panicles are loose when in flower but closed and narrow in fruit:

Spikelets (1 of the units making up the inflorescence) are 3-4mm long, lanceolate, mostly equal in size glumes (pair of chaffy green scales at base of spikelet). Within each floret, there is an oval, blunt, thin lemma (1.5-2mm long) enclosed between the glumes (Stace 2005).

Close up: