518 '' The Natural History of British Grasses. 



CatABROSA — panicle spreadino: ; qhimc of two obtuse valves, 

 including the two or three florets ; glumel truncated, 

 awnless. 



C aquatica — water-whorl-grass. It is a perennial water-grass, 

 and its only British species will be found in ditches, water- 

 courses, and ponds, where it frequently grows very luxuriantly, 

 and is remarkable for a peculiarly sweet licorice flavour, on 

 which account cattle crop it down very closely whenever they 

 can reach it ; it is, however, so purely aquatic — refusing to grow 

 away from water — that nothing can be done in its cultivation. 

 A dwarf variety will frequently be found on mud-banks ; but 

 here it is an evidence of their wetness. — P. 



AiRA. — glume of two unequal valves, including two perfect 

 florets, v/hich are usually awned from near their base. 



A. ccEspitosa — turfy hair-grass — hassock or tussac grass. — Of 

 this genus there are several species, but only this one will need 

 description here : it is distinguished by its tall stem, panicle- 

 spreading ; flowers numerous on slender pedicels, having their 

 outer glumel awned ; leaves long and pointed, with serrated 

 inargins and roughened ribs, which makes this grass very rigid 

 and objectionable to cattle, on which account, and from its pos- 

 sessing but little nutritive matter, they commonly object to eat it 

 unless when quite young. It is found constant to two positions — 

 moist damp woods, under the trees, where it forms an excellent 

 covert for game. Its more objectionable habitat is in undi'ained 

 meadows, or where there is a chance of water stagnating ; and 

 hence it is interesting as marking want of drainage, the stoppage 

 ,of a drain, of a grip not well opened, or a want of free exit for 

 the water in any part of a water-meadow. If any of these con- 

 ditions continue for a length of time — sometimes incredibly 

 short — this grass soon assumes its large cushion-like growth, 

 from which it has attained the country names of hassock or tussac 

 grass, buUpates, &c. It establishes itself in separate masses, 

 like the larger jungle grasses of the tropics, which soon over- 

 power all other species. Where present a meadow can never be 

 perfect ; if in irrigation, the wet " swag " must be relieved by an 

 additional grip or channel into the exit-drain. In the meadows, 

 with proper draining, its disappearance is equally rapid with its 

 former growth. 



HoLCUS — panicle lax, florets soft with downy hairs ; glumes 

 of two nearly equal two-flov^ered valves ; upper floret 

 awned, lower one awnless. 

 H. lanatus — meadow soft grass ; awn short and curved back- 



