430 THE GRASS FAMILY. 



HABITATS AND LOCALITIES. 



1. WooB MiLLET-GBASs — {MiUum effusum.') 



Woods and shady doughs, rather rare. Abundant in the woods at 

 Styal, Cotterill, and about Reddish. Banks of the Irwell, near the 

 East Lancashire Viaduct, Clifton, Fl. May. 



Curtis, ii. 220; E. B. x\i. 1100 ; Baxter, iv. 247. 



An exceedingly elegant grass, flowering along with the rose lychnis and the 

 yellow dead-nettle, and still beautiful when the wild raspberries ripen in August. 



2. Gkeen Bristle-gkass — {Setdria viridis.) 



Twenty or thirty plants of this grass, which is no more than a way- 

 side weed, made their appearance in Monton fields in 1848. (J. S.) 

 Since then it does not appear to have been observed. Fl. Summer 

 and autumn. Annual. 



Curtis, ii. 222 ; E. B. xiii. 875 (both as Panicum viride.) 



3. Saveet-scented Vernal-gbass — [Anthoxanthum odordium.) 

 Everywhere in meadows and pastures, and on hedgebanks, growing 



in every kind of soil, from the poorest and driest to the most fertile. 



Fl. April — July, full-blown in the middle of May. 



Curtis, i. 4 ; E. B. ix. G47 ; Baxter, ii. 99. 



The earliest of the hay-grasses to show its spikes of bloom, and reputed the 

 chief source of the perfume of the newly-mown meadows. 



4. Canaky-gbass — {Phnlaris Canariensis.) 

 Occasionally in cultivated land and on manure heaps, being common 



in gardens as an ornamental plant, and the seeds escaping with the 

 refuse. Fl. Summer. Annual. 



E. B. xix. 1810 ; Baxter, i. 50. 



The spikes of this grass are singularly beautiful, by reason of the broad green 

 stripes upon the glumes. In gardens they are often as long as one's little finger. 

 The small polished yellow fruits are the " canary-seed " given to cage-birds. 



5. Ribbon-geass — {Digraphis arundindcea.) 



In ditches and by pond and river sides, common everywhere. Fl. 



June, July. 



E. B. vi. 402 (as Phdlaris arundin&cea.) 



The striped-leaved plant everywlieie eullivated in gardens under the name of 

 " French-grass " is a variety of this. 



