5 So GRAMINE^ 



5. S. fw/?^5/m (Procumbent Manna-grass). — Tufted, decumbent, 

 3 — 8 in. high, stiff; leaves flat, glaucous, with inflated sheaths; 

 panicle i-sided, i — 2 in. high, compact, with short, stout, ascend- 

 ing, rigid, distichous branches ; spikelets small, crowded, nearly 

 sessile, about 4-flowered ; flowering glumes 3 — 5, 5-ribbed, apiculate. 

 — Salt marshes ; uncommon. — Fl. June — August. Annual. 



6. S. rigida (Hard Manna-grass). — A tufted, stiff, glabrous, 

 often purple plant, 4 — 6 in. high ; panicle about 2 in. long, with 

 distichous branches, a broadly channelled rachis, and 3 — 5 spike- 

 lets, which are about 3 lines long and 6 — 8-flowered ; floivering 

 glume smooth, shining, apiculate. — Dry places ; common. — Fl. 

 June, July. Annual. 



7. S. lolidcea (Dwarf Darnel-like Manna-grass). — A glabrous, 

 green, stiff, dwarf plant, 2 — 6 in. high, resembling the preceding ; 

 spikelets nearly sessile in 2 rows on alternate sides of the rachis, 

 but all turning one way so as to resemble a i -sided spike ; spike- 

 lets about 3 lines long, 6 — 12-flowered; flowering glumes mucron- 

 ate, with well-marked marginal veins. — Sandy sea-shores ; un- 

 common. — Fl. June — August. Annual. 



40. Festuca (Fescue). — Leaf-sheath generally split to the base ; 

 spikelets in a spike or panicle, 3- or more-flowered ; flowering glume 

 rounded at the back, 3 — 5-ribbed, pointed or awned ; styles at the 

 top of the smooth ovary. (Name, a Classical Latin name.) 



1. F. membrandcea (Single-husked Fescue). — Stem 4 — 12 in. 

 high, bent below, slender, glabrous, leafy ; leaves bristle-like ; 

 panicle i -sided, spike-like, but with some very short lower 

 branches in pairs, 2 in. long, pale green, shining; spikelets 4 — 10- 

 flowered ; outermost glume wanting, and awned ; flowering glumes 

 ending in awns longer than themselves. — Sandy sea-shores in the 

 south ; rare. — Fl. June, July. Annual or biennial. 



2. F. ambigua (Doubtful Fescue). — A slender plant, 8 — 12 in. 

 high, with narrow, involute leaves; patiicle long, narrow, erect, 

 close ; upper empty glume 3 — 6 times as long as the lower ; flower- 

 ing glumes ending in awns as long as themselves; stamen i. — 

 Sandy places, Dorset, Isle of Wight, Suffolk, and Norfolk ; very 

 rare. — Fl. May, June. Annual. 



3. F. Myuros (Rat's-tail, or Wall Fescue). — A closely allied, but 

 generally taller species, about a foot high, slender ; panicle 2 — 6 

 in. long, slender, i-sided, sometimes spike-like, interrupted, nod- 

 ding ; upper empty glume thrice as long as the lower. — Walls and 

 sandy places ; not uncommon. — Fl. June, July. Annual. 



4. F. bromoides (Squirrel-tailed Fescue). — Another closely allied 

 species, differing in the upper part of the stem being leafless ; the 



