This is one of two common seaside grasses which often grow together on the beach and can be confused. Elytrigia juncea (Sand Couch) is glaucous but the individual spikelets do not overlap one with the other as they do in Elytrigia atherica (Sea Couch). The other test is that the flowering stem is very brittle in Elytrigia juncea when mature and it is easy to snap the flowering spike off in the middle.

There is very little of this plant to be found inland but has been recorded from almost every stretch of coast in England, Ireland, wales and Scotland and many of the islands too.

Abergele Pensarn beach, 7th July 2005

Added on October 15th 2005, updated 26th December 2008, updated 29th March 2010