P. arenaria is a very small grass which has the typical Phleum (Cat's-tail) flower head but which never grows much more than 20 cm tall. You find it in dune systems and it is also supposed to grow on sandy heathland. It isn't in full flower in the left hand and centre photos but the nature of its preferred habitat means that it can be totally finished and dried up by August in some years. The other grass in the right-hand photo is Vulpia fasciculata (Dune Fescue) another rarity of dune systems.

Reclassified as a rare species in New Flora of the British Isles Edition 3 by Clive Stace, this small grass is rarely found inland anywhere in the British Isles. It is recorded from much of the English coastline but is less common in Scotland. In Ireland is is also found around much of the coast.

LHS/Centre: Southport (Birkdale) 3rd &9th May 2006 RHS: Newborough Warren, Anglesey 29th May 2008

Added on 16th May 2006, updated April 1st 2011, updated 23rd August 2024