Sweet Vernal-grass - Anthoxanthum odoratum

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Description

Tufted grass 10 to 40 cm tall with pointed leaf blades, 1.5 to 5 mm wide. Panicles spread out in flower, but close in fruit. Spikelets are 6 to 10 mm long, with hairy glumes.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Grassy places of all kinds.

When to see it

April to July.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Very common throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 541 of the 617 tetrads.

  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows
    22 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Near High Cross
    09 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Near High Cross
    09 May 2016
  • David Nicholls
    20 Acre Piece
    23 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    The Grange Fields, Broughton Astley
    27 April 2015
  • David Nicholls
    20 Acre Piece
    11 May 2012

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Sweet Vernal-grass
Species group:
Grasses, Rushes & Sedges
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Poales
Family:
Poaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
157
First record:
21/09/1998 (Anthony Fletcher)
Last record:
10/09/2024 (Isabel Raval)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    05 May 2016
  • David Nicholls
    20 Acre Piece
    11 May 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Cribbs Meadow
    16 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    09 May 2008
  • David Nicholls
    20 Acre Piece
    11 May 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Field near Freeholt Wood, Sapcote
    19 April 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Jubilee Walk, Leire
    13 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    28 April 2014
  • Graham Calow
    The Park Field, Sapcote
    05 May 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    09 May 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Near High Cross
    09 May 2016
  • Barbara Cooper
    Holwell Nature Reserve
    27 May 2012
  • David Gould
    Glen Hills NR, Leicester
    04 May 2015
  • David Nicholls
    The Brand, Woodhouse
    15 June 2013
  • David Nicholls
    Bradgate Park
    05 July 2013
  • Craig Mabbett
    clump hill field's broughton astley
    26 April 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Higham on the Hill
    15 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Field near Freeholt Wood, Sapcote
    19 April 2016