Tail of the cat

Smaller Cat's-tail (Phleum bertolonii)

Many of the grasses in our pocket meadow are currently flowering (to the dismay of those who suffer from hayfever, I'm sure) or getting ready to flower, including a little stand of Smaller Cat's-tail (Phleum bertolonii) along the edge of one of the paths. This perennial grass is typically found in more mature grasslands, such as old pastures, downs, and old meadows, though it can also be found along roadsides and in waste places. It occurs throughout much of the UK, though not in the far north and only patchily in Northern Ireland. Its tight cylindrical flower heads, which are seen from June through July, are distinctive. These resemble the flower heads of Timothy (Phleum pratense) but are smaller, maxing out at 6 cm (about 2-1/4 inches). Most of ours measure considerably less. The flower spikes rise from a tuft of pale grey-green leaves, which are hairless and flat. The larvae of several small species of moth, including the Red-brindled Dwarf (Elachista rufocinerea), which we haven't yet recorded in the garden, feed on its leaves. It's a bit more "well-behaved" than some of the bigger, more aggressive grass species with which it shares the meadow, so here's hoping it maintains – or maybe even expands – its toehold!