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 very similar to Eleocharis species (Spike Rushes). It was known as Scirpus cespitosus until fairly recently when the change to genus name Trichophorum was effected.

T. cespitosum ssp 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