AGROPYEON 599 



A. repens, Beauv. Agrost. 102 (1812), sub Agropynim. Tivitch, Couch 

 Grass, Quick Grass. 



Triticum repens, Linn. Sp. PI. 86 (1753), and Herb. 

 Top. Bot. 502. Syme, E. B. xi. 178, t. 1810. Nyman, 841. Fl. Oxf. 352. 

 Native. Agi-estal. Cultivated fields, field-borders, hedges, &c. 

 Abundant, especially in badly farmed arable ground. P. June- 

 August. 

 First record. Triticum rejJens, Squitch Grass. One of the most common 

 and troublesome weeds in neglected arable lands, and which can 

 only be effectually destroyed by fallowing in a dry summer, 

 Mavor's Agr. Berks, 1809. 



Although found commonly in the cultivated areas in all the 

 districts, it is not common in bare chalky fields^ and it is absent 

 from considerable areas of heathland and from the grassy chalk 

 downs. 



A. repens is a variable species. It is found with the awn nearly 

 obsolete or considerably developed,, and the leaves vary considerably 

 in colour from green to glaucous, and from two inches to a foot long. 

 A considerable number of varieties have been described. We have in 

 Berkshire 



Var. ARVENSE, Schrank, Reichb. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. i. f, 237 [257], 

 which is an awnless form with mucronate pales, which is common in 

 cornfields and by field-borders in most parishes in the county ; it is 

 probably identical with the var. genuinion (sub Triticum) of Duval- 

 Jouve, and Syme. The var. obiusum of Syme scarcely differs ; it has 

 obtuse pales with a minute apiculus. 



Var. DUMETORUM, S. F. Gray, Nat, Arr. ii. 97. T. dumetorurn, Schreb. 

 in Fl. Erlang. i. 143, is a robust form which occurs in hedges and 

 thickets, as at Sunningdale, Blewbury, Hagborne, Kingston Bagpuze, 

 &c. Given in Eeichb. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. i. f. 259. 



Var. Leersianum, S. F. Gray, 1. c. = T. Leersianum, Eoem. et Schultes, 

 Syst. ii. 755» has both glumes and pales attenuated into a long awn. 

 It occurs in hedgerows, as at Shrivenham, Tilehurst, Hungerford, 

 Waltham, &c. Given in Reichb. 1. c. f. 261. 



Var. Valllantianum, Schrank in Reichb. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. i. f. 

 260 = Triticum repens,\a.r. aristaticm, Parnell, is similar to the preceding, 

 but the awns are shorter ; it is a not uncommon form, as at Cumnor, 

 Kennington, Appleton, Radley, Blewbury, Moulsford, Padworth, 

 Swallowfield, Ruscombe, &c. Vvohsihly the Triticum repens, var. barbatam 

 of Duval-Jouve, would include the last two forms. 



Glaucous forms {forma glauccc) of the awned and of the awnless 

 variety occur. I have seen such at Ferry Hinksey, Marcham, King- 

 ston Bagpuze, and at Moulsford. 



The creeping root of this plant forms a great proportion of the so- 



