Timothy - Phleum pratense

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Description

A tall grass to 150 cm, with dense cylindrical panicles to 15 cm (sometimes more). The individual spikelets have two points. Named after American farmer and agriculturalist Timothy Hanson

Similar Species

Meadow Foxtail is superficially similar

Identification difficulty
ID guidance

Inflorescence a ‘pointing finger’ spike. The two glumes of each floret each narrow to a pointed apex.

Habitat

Roadsides, meadows, and other grasslands.

When to see it

June to August.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Common throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 578 of the 617 tetrads.

be our species champion

  • Graham Calow
    Nailstone, colliery land reclamation area
    18 June 2019
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    19 June 2014
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    06 July 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    13 June 2017
    detail of spikelets
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin
    12 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Higham on the Hill
    09 July 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    27 September 2013

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

  • Graham Calow
    Higham on the Hill
    09 July 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    27 September 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Croft Pasture
    14 July 2014
    individual spikelets have two points.
  • Graham Calow
    Basin Bridge Lane, Wykin
    31 July 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    27 September 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • Alan Semper
    Melton Country Park
    17 August 2013
  • HAPeacock
    Gilroes Cemetery Extension
    19 June 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 August 2008
  • David Nicholls
    Croft Hill
    29 September 2011
  • HAPeacock
    Billa Barra
    21 July 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    29 June 2013