About Eriophorum vaginatum L.
Eriophorum vaginatum L. is a tussock-forming species that grows 30 to 60 centimeters tall, with extremely narrow, almost hair-like leaves. Its flowering stems have a single inflated leaf sheath that lacks a leaf blade; this trait gives the species its epithet, since the Latin word "vagina" means sheath. The inflorescence is a dense, tufted, solitary spike. When producing fruit, stems elongate significantly, growing well above the plant's leaves.
Eriophorum vaginatum is distributed across most of the boreal and arctic zones of Eurasia and North America. It grows best in acidic, moist to wet, peaty soil, and can be the dominant plant species in bogs, poor fens, and the heathlands of Western Europe. It is also commonly found on tundra. In Scotland, where the species is common, it is sometimes called draw-ling or drawmoss.
