Alopecurus bulbosus Bulbous Foxtail

Alopecurus bulbosus, Bulbous Foxtail, is an uncommon, perennia, suboceanic grass which has a southern distribution in Britain. The bulbous bases to the stems are fairly conspicuous when searched for, but this species can be confused with Marsh Foxtail (Alopecurus geniculatus) which is similar and sometimes grows with it. However, Bulbous Foxtail does not have the obvious 'bent knee' (geniculate) growth form shown by Marsh Foxtail and that species doesn't have such obviously bulbous stem bases. It is usually found in brackish grasslands and grazing marshes near the sea, particularly where there is flooding in winter, but it is not a species of salt marsh habitats that are inundated with seawater. In West Glamorgan it has been recorded mostly in north Gower, but it is a species that is easily overlooked and misidentified and it remains to be seen whether it is present in other brackish grasslands along the coast.

Native