groundcover

thumb|upright=1.1|Groundcover of Vinca major

Groundcover or ground cover is any plant that grows low over an area of ground, which protects the topsoil from erosion and drought. In a terrestrial ecosystem, the ground cover forms the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer known as the herbaceous layer, and provides habitats and concealments for (especially fossorial) terrestrial fauna. The most widespread ground covers are grasses of various types.