Tor-grass
Encyclopedia
Tor-grass is a plant in the grass
family, with a widespread distribution in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
. It typically grows in calcareous grassland
, and reaches 70–120 cm tall. The flower
head is open, with 10 to 15 erect spikelets.
The caterpillar
s of some Lepidoptera
use it as a foodplant, e.g. the Essex Skipper
(Thymelicus lineola).
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
family, with a widespread distribution in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
. It typically grows in calcareous grassland
Calcareous grassland
Calcareous grassland is an ecosystem associated with thin basic soil, such as that on chalk and limestone downland. Plants on calcareous grassland are typically short and hardy, and include grasses and herbs such as clover...
, and reaches 70–120 cm tall. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
head is open, with 10 to 15 erect spikelets.
The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
use it as a foodplant, e.g. the Essex Skipper
Essex Skipper
The Essex Skipper is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. In North America, it is known as the European Skipper....
(Thymelicus lineola).