AGROSTIS 561 



A. alba, Linn. Sp. PI. 63 (1753) and Herb. p. p. (one spec, is A. canina). 



Marsh Bent. 



A. palusfris, Huds. Fl. Angl. 27 (1762). A. stolonifera, Auct. not of 



Linn. Herb, which consists of one specimen of a vulgaris form 



and one of A. verticiUata, Vill. 



Top. Bot. 478. Syme, E. B. xi. 48, tt. 1719, 1720. Nyman, 800. FL 



Oxf. 326. 

 Native. Agrestal, &c. Fields, moist meadows, heaths, woods, &c. 



Very abundant and generally distributed. P. June-July. 

 First record. A. aiha, Russell's Cat. 1839. Without locality. 



A. alba is a most variable species, and a large number of varieties 

 have been described. Some of these varieties connect it with A. vulgaris. 

 In Syme's E. B. ^. alba is treated under the names of var. genuina 

 and var. stolonifera. 



Var. GENUixA. This is our common and generally distributed plant, 

 which is found under several modifications. 



Vai'. GiGANTEA, Meyer, Chlor. Hann. 655 (A. giganfea, Gaud. Agrost. 

 Helv. i. 81). On railway banks, field-borders, and in copses, near 

 Oxford, near Twyford, Waltham, &c. This form has a wide-spreading 

 panicle ; it is allied to the var. palustris, Parnell, Gr. Scot. t. 14. 



Var. STOLONIFERA {A. stolonifera, Linn. Sp. PL p.p. 62, Sm. E. B. t. 1532, 

 Parnell, Gr. Scot. t. 13). A valuable plant of the alluvial meadows in 

 the Thames Valley, especially those subject to inundations, which adds 

 largely to the tAvo or more cuttings of hay during the season. It is 

 the coarse, stiff, stoloniferous grass, which is common in ditches, &c. on 

 clayey soil, as at Appleton, Marcham, Yattendon, &c. ; it has the 

 panicle branches arranged in dense clusters which are furnished with 

 spikelets down to the base, not naked for some distance as in A. alba 

 proper. 



I have followed Grenier and Godron and others in using the name 

 A. alba ; thus retaining a well-known name for this species which 

 not only has the advantage of following the rule of priority, but is 

 also more in accord with the Linnean Herbarium than A. stolonifera 

 would be. 



A. alba is found in all the bordering counties. 



A. vulgaris, With. Bot. Arr. ed. 3, ii. 132 (1796). Common Bent Grass. 

 A. tenuis, Sibth. Fl. Oxon. 36 (1794). A. stolonifera, Linn. Herb. p.p. 

 Top. Bot. 478. Syme, E. B. xi. 49, t. 1721. Nyman, 801. Fl. Oxf. 336. 

 Native. Pascual. Dry pastures, roadsides, heaths, &c. Common and 



generally distributed. P. June-August. 

 First record. A. capillaris. On Bagshot Heath and the best sheep 

 pastures in Berkshire, Stillingfleet, Misc. Tracts, ed. 3, 382, 1775. 

 ^ A. vulgaris, Dr. Noehden. On poor dry sandy land. Disliked 







