Meadow Fescue - Schedonorus pratensis

Height 40 to 80 cm forming only small tufts and with leaves only 4 mm wide (with fine toothed less rough edges than Tall Fescue).  The shorter branch at each whorl of the inflorescence bears only 1 or 2 spikelets (Tall Fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) usually has 4).

Festuca rubra, Schedonorus arundinaceus (much larger)

The panicle is branched. Each spikelet contains three or more florets which are awned. The lowest whorl has two branches, the shorter of which has only one or two spikelets. The auricles are glabrous

Either obtain confirmation from a County Recorder before submitting a record, or submit detailed images showing key features.  We recommend that you take and retain a specimen; the County Recorder may wish to see this for confirmation.

Found in a wide range of neutral grasslands, usually on fertile soils, including pastures, hay meadows and water meadows also naturalised on roadsides, railway banks and waste ground.

In flower during June, July and August.

Perennial.

Widespread and fairly frequent over most of Britain except the extreme north.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 448 of the 617 tetrads.