On Sunday 27th June fourteen Warcs members enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon stroll in a green lane near North Newbald with grasses expert Mr Peter Cook.  We managed to identify 23 different species out of a possible 241, including the very pretty "Yorkshire Fog".

We were informed of the eleven different grass groups including fescue, brome, foxtail, bent, meadow grass etc.  How to differentiate a ligule from a lemma and what an awn was.  Sweet vernal grass goes golden and is used for making hats and gives hay its distinctive smell.

At this time of the year the colours are lovely from the palest greens, golds, purples to pinks and forms vary from a firm rye grass or timothy to a delicate silver hair grass.

In addition to all the very pretty grasses, a plant rarely seen growing in the north of England, an "Orobanki" was spotted.  It is a parasitic plant which depends on a host plant such as a "Centaurum Major" and can be eithe purple or yellow flowering.

A very pleasant and informative Sunday afternoon.

Peggy.