This tends to be an upland plant as it prefers peaty soils. Obviously tufted with yellow anthers this member of the Sedge family has individual stems somewhat similar to Eleocharis species (Spike Rushes).

It was known as Scirpus cespitosus until fairly recently when the change to genus name Trichophorum was effected but the recent name change (New Flora of the British Isles edition 3 published in 2010 by Clive Stace) has field botanists tearing their hair out.

Trichophorum cespitosum ssp germanicum (Deergrass) has now become Trichophorum germanicum. This is the common species of the Trichophorum genus. Trichophorum cespitosum ssp cespitosum (Northern Deergrass) the very rare species is now Trichophorum cespitosum the name which used to be used for the common one. There is a good taxonomic logic to this of course but for recording field botanists it points to chaos in both researching past records and recording or accepting future identifications.

Trichophorum germanicum is common in Ireland as you might expect and is found where there is peaty terrain in the hills and mountains of the British Isles. For that reason it is not found often in more frequently alkaline soils of central and southern England.

LHS: Cwm Idwal near Llyn Idwal, 21st May 2004 RHS: Fraoch Bheinn, Scotland 8th June 2006

Added on November 18th 2004, updated and corrected 18th September 2009, updated with name change 16th February 2012