388 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



of the Alpine Flora in Breadalbane during the last week of 

 July, 1902 " (see page 336). 



Mr. Geo. Heriot exhibited some very beautiful photographs 

 of Alpine plants taken in their natural situations. 



A communication from Mr. Alex. Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S., 

 the President, was read by Mr. Renwick. It dealt with an 

 exhibit of Bromus giganteus, L. (Festuca gigantea, Vill.), the 

 Giant Brome Grass, with, for comparison, B. ramosus, Huds. 

 (B. asper, Murr.), the Hairy Brome, from Ballantrae, Ayrshire. 

 He remarked that he did not show these handsome grasses 

 because of their rarity, for both are widely distributed, but 

 because of the fact that the former at least, Bromus giganteus, 

 is often overlooked, possibly from growing where there is much 

 shade. B. giganteus is recorded from 98 out of the 112 Vice- 

 Counties of Britain, and B. ramosus from 96. Both species are 

 tall, the former said by Hooker to attain to 4 feet, and the 

 latter to 6 feet. The inflorescence of both is a long, loose, 

 drooping panicle, presenting, it might almost be said, a weeping 

 aspect. The panicle of B. giganteus — the shorter grass of the 

 two — attains a length sometimes of no less than 12 inches, while 

 the panicle of B. ramosus is said to fall short of half that length. 

 Both species have a smooth stem. Apart from minor distinc- 

 tions, the point which readily distinguishes the two is that the 

 leaf-sheaths of giganteus are smooth, while the lower leaf-sheaths, 

 especially, of ramosus, are strikingly hairy, with down-directed 

 hairs, this latter enabling the observer at a glance to determine 

 the species. It may be mentioned also that, correspondingly, 

 the ovary of giganteus is glabrous, while that of ramosus is 

 hairy. • 



