HORTUS GUAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 135 



confined to beaten parts, as the cart-ways and sides of 

 paths. It is distinguished by its short and broad spike, 

 crowded with spikelets towards the top; spikelets con- 

 sisting of from seven to nine florets, of a green or 

 purpHsh colour ; the culm is never upright, but ascend- 

 ing, and almost covered with the sheaths of the leaves, 

 which are numerous. The third variety {ramosmn) is 

 more common in rich meadow land than in any other 

 soil; the spike is nearly upright, spikelets shorter, 

 glumes more pointed, and the stem furnished with long 

 leaves : the root-leaves are numerous, and larger in every 

 respect than any of the preceding. I believe this to be 

 the improved, or Pacey's ray-grass : it is the most valu- 

 able of the varieties above mentioned. The panicled 

 ray-grass exhibits a very singular though accidental 

 deviation from the proper character of the species — 

 that of flowers disposed in a spike. I found this variety 

 not uncommon in the lower parts of Mr. Westcar's cele- 

 brated pastures of Creslow. The double- flowering ray- 

 grass I found in a meadow near St. Ives, and it was 

 raised in the Experimental Grass Garden at Woburn 

 Abbey, from seeds communicated by Mr. Neill of Mans- 

 field. It has the spikelets globular, which give to the 

 spike the appearance of being composed of double 

 flowers. The viviparous variety grows luxuriantly after 

 Midsummer; it is strictly viviparous, never producing 

 flowers or seed, but young plants from the glumes or 

 ears. When supported, the ears emit plants which fre- 

 quently attain to two and three inches in length. A spe- 

 cimen of the stoloniferous ray-grass was communicated 

 by Mr. Whitworth, from his extensive collection at 

 Acre House. Of late years much has been done in 

 discovering new and improved varieties of loliiim pe- 

 renne. Mr. Whitworth has devoted much attention to 

 this subject; and the talents, judgment, and success 

 he has displayed in this important inquiry, deserve very 

 great praise. His collection of the varieties of lolium 

 fjcieiiue, in 1823 amounted to the surprising number of 



