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Mat-Grass

Mat-Grass

Nardus stricta

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How common: Common

Mat-grass is a small, long-lived grass that grows in tight, hard tussocks. It thrives on poor grassland, grazed areas and paths, and along shores. You can spot it by its thread‑thin, stiff, grey‑green leaves and its narrow, one‑sided flower head.

Did you know?

  • Partly evergreen: the bases of the leaves stay green under the snow, while the older leaves turn brown and can shield them.
  • Its name comes from the dense mats it forms.

About the species

Identification

Forms very dense, hard tussocks 20–30 cm tall. Stems upright; old leaf bases at the bottom are whitish. Leaves are shorter than the stems, about 0.5 mm wide, thread‑like, very stiff and rough, grey‑green. Flower head 5–6 cm, very thin and clearly one‑sided: the tiny flowers line up in two rows along one edge, each with a short bristle. Later it sets a single hard seed. Distinguish from sheep’s fescue: that has a more even, not clearly one‑sided flower head. Flowers in Finland in June–July.

Plant group

Grasses, sedges and rushes

Habitat

yards and roadsides, fell

Flowering

Jun–Jul

About the habitat

Grows on poor open ground: dry or seasonally wet grasslands, pastures and trampled paths, shores, hollows that hold water for a while, and places where snow lingers. Common throughout the country.

Sources

Photo: Thomas Gyselinck, CC BY 4.0 https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5938349662

Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Itämeri: rantaniityt, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40645

Text: Pinkka: Kasvien talvi - Talvivihreät luonnonkasvit, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40645

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4kki

See also