THE GRASS FAMILY. 429 



2. Panicle beautifully symmetrical and pyramidal, the 



branches spreading regularly in all directions, 



two or three often proceeding from one point, 



and gradually decreasing in length upwards. 



Growing in water. 



Plant bushy, stems 3 — 6 feet high, stout and strong. 



Panicle whitish or inclining to pink, taper, and 



not more than two inches in diameter at 



the base 5. Eibbon-geass. 



Panicle fine brown, very large, obtuse, five or sis 



inches in diameter at the base 44. Water Brown-eeed. 



Plant weak and flaccid, six to twenty inches high. 

 Leaves broad And short, with an abrupt 

 point, like a Koman sword. Glumes brown- 

 ish, remarkably ragged at the extremity .. 50. Water BiTTEN-GRASS. 

 Growing on land, in meadows, woods, and by waysides. 

 Plant more or less downy with fine hairs, which 

 give it a pale appearance. 

 Outer scales pointed, the awn projecting beyond 

 them ; joints surrounded by tufts of white 



hairs ; Iroot creeping 24. Sylvan Soft-grass. 



Outer scales obtuse, the awn concealed by them ; 

 very little down on the joints, but the stem 



very soft and velvety ; root not creeping.. 23. Meadow Soft-grass. 

 Plant glabrous. 



Spikelets many-flowered ; no awns. Stems twelve 

 to eighteen inches high. 

 Plant with creeping scions. Ligule short and 1 47. Smooth Meadow- 



blunt J GRASS. 



Plant without creeping scions. Ligule long "i 48. Eough Meadow- 



and pointed I grass. 



Spikelets one-flowered ; sometimes awned. 

 Panicle green, branches distant, often bent 

 downwards ; stem two to five feet high. 



Growing in woods 1. Wood Millet-grass. 



Panicle brown or whitish. Spikelets numerous. 

 Awns two to four times as long as the 



shining spilcelets 14. Silky Bent-grass. 



Awns none, or if present, not twice as long 

 as the spikelets. 

 Flowering glume awnless, or with a very 

 short awn at its base. 



Panicle brown 11, CoSilioN Bent-grass. 



Panicle whitish 12. White Bent-grass. 



Mowering glume with a short awn below 

 the middle. Palea minute or 

 wantibg. IPapicle rather close . . 13. Small Bent-gbass. 



