Tor grass agg. - Brachypodium pinnatum s.l.

A tufted grass to 120 cm, which is almost hairless, spreading by creeping, wiry rhizomes. The leaves are usually under 5 mm wide, flat when fresh, and with very short ligules. Spikelets sessile, alternating, with short awns. Sheaths and spikelets usually hairy. 

The only reliable distinction between B. rupestre and B. pinnatum is the presence of abundant minute prickle hairs on the veins of the lower surface on B pinnatum.  B rupestre has very few prickle-hairs, leaves usually inrolled even when fresh, with a longer ligule, and usually glabrous sheaths and spikelets. Due to the similarity we have decided to treat them as an aggregate.

Brachypodium rupestre sensu stricto (Tor-grass) 

Photograph the whole plant in habitat.  If B rupestre or B pinnatum sensu stricto is identified, retain a specimen for verification by the County Recorder

Calcareous grassland.

Flowering in July.

Perennial.

Local in southern and south eastern England north to Yorkshire, quite scarce elsewhere in Britain.

Local in Leicestershire and Rutland where it is found mainly on the Oolite Limestone. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 71 of the 617 tetrads.