Aira praecox Early Hair-grass

A common winter annual grass of bare, dry places and a frequent member of the flora that develops on ant hills. It is usually very short, often less than 10cm high, but may grow as tall as 25cm. Unlike Silver Hair-grass (Aira caryophyllea), the inflorescence is spike-like, not wide spreading and the leaf sheaths are smooth (not roughly hairy). It grows on gritty forest tracks, sand dunes, walls and other rocky or open places in West Glamorgan and sometimes forms carpets of tiny plants. When very small it is easy to miss, even though it has an otherwise, very distinctive appearance. It has become more scarce in some regions in recent years

Native