briza media

Quaking-grass (Briza media)

Quaking Grass (Briza media)

Briza media is a perennial grass in the family Poaceae and is a species of the genus Briza.

The dominant grass species are Crested Hair-grass Koeleria cristata, Timothy Grass Phleum pratense and Common Quaking-grass Briza media.

Other grasses that are frequent in the sward include meadow oat-grass, Avenula pratensis, quaking grass, Briza media, sheep's fescue, Festuca ovina, and crested hairgrass, Koeleria macrantha.

The larvae feed on various grasses, including Poa alpina, Poa pratensis, Poa nemoralis, Festuca rubra, Carex flacca, Carex sempervirens, Briza media and Molinia caerula.

The larvae feed on Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avena pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceus, Dactylis glomerata, Elymus, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria and Poa annua.

Where a skeletal soil layer has developed on the quarry floor and spoil heaps, patches of grassland occur, with species characteristic of base-rich soils, such as quaking grass, Briza media, and limestone bedstraw, Galium sterneri.

The open grassland is rich in herbs, with fescues Festuca ovina and Festuca pratensis, crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, spring sedge Carex caryophyllea, and locally quaking grass Briza media as dominants.

There are 16 species of grass and sedge recorded; with upright brome Bromus erectus, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, quaking grass Briza media, crested hair-grass Koeleria cristata, and dwarf sedge Carex humilis.

The site has an important expanse of primary magnesian limestone grassland, in which the dominant blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, is associated with species such as quaking grass, Briza media, glaucous sedge, Carex flacca, and meadow oat-grass, Avenula pratensis.

Blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, is abundant, and there is a rich assemblage of species characteristic of calcareous soils, such as quaking grass, Briza media, meadow oat grass, Avenula pratensis, glaucous sedge, Carex flacca, and fragrant orchid, Gymnadenia conopsea.

Glaucous sedge, Carex flacca, quaking grass, Briza media, meadow oat-grass, Avenula pratensis, rock-rose, Helianthemum nummularium, and fragrant orchid, Gymnadenia conopsea, are common, while sea plantain, Plantago maritima, is locally abundant in the grassland at the edge of limestone spoil heaps.