Introduction

Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin. (syn. Avenella flexuosa L.; Lerchenfeldia flexuosa (L.) Schur) or Wavy Hair-grass is a species of bunchgrass in the Poaceae

Poaceae

The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...

 family with a Holarctic distribution.

Habitat and distribution

It is found naturally in dry grassland and on moors and heaths.

It is also an important component of the ground flora of birch and oak woodland - see British NVC community W11

British NVC community W11

NVC community W11 is one of the woodland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of the six communities falling in the "mixed deciduous and oak/birch woodlands" group.This is a widespread upland community of northern and western Britain...

 (Quercus petraea–Betula pubescens–Oxalis acetosella woodland) and British NVC community W16 (Quercus spp.–Betula spp.–Deschampsia flexuosa woodland). See Woodland and scrub communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system

Woodland and scrub communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system

This article gives an overview of the woodland and scrub communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.-Introduction:The woodland and scrub communities of the NVC were described in Volume 1 of British Plant Communities, first published in 1991.In total, 25 woodland/scrub...

.

It has a preference for acidic, free-draining soil, and avoids chalk and limestone areas. It can exist over 1200 metres (3,937 ft) above sea level.

Physical description

Wavy hair-grass has wiry leaves and delicate, shaking panicles formed of silvery or purplish-brown flower heads on wavy, hair-like stalks.
The leaves are bunched in tight tufts with plants forming a very tussocky, low sward 5 to 20 cm tall before flowering, to 30cm height after flowering. It flowers from June until July.

Associated invertebrates

Wavy hair-grass is one of the grass species on which the Wall Brown

Wall Brown

The Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae . It is widespread in the Palearctic ecozone with a large variety of habitats and a number of generations a year.-Range:...

 butterfly lays its eggs. The Sun beetle is also associated with the plant.

External links

• Sky flora