64 



GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



aira. Stems erect, round, rough- 

 ish, in close tufts, leaves fiat, 

 linear, acute, with rougbish stri- 

 ated sheaths, upper sheath longer 

 than its leaf, panicle pyramidal 

 or oblong, large, at first drooping, 

 afterwards erect, with branches 

 spreading in every direction ; 

 awn barely equalling the palea, 

 outer palea of lower floret shorter 

 than the glumes, membranous, 

 jagged or four-toothed on the 

 summit, hairy at the base, with 

 slender awn rising from a little 

 above the base, and extending 

 scarcely above the palea. Dis- 

 tinguished from aira Jiexuosa in 

 the awn of the lower floret not 

 protruding beyond the glumes of 

 the calyx. In aira jiexuosa the 

 awn of the lower floret protrudes 

 more than one-third its length 

 beyond the glumes. 



It has an unsightly look in 

 fields and pastures, on 

 account of its growing in 

 tufts or clusters or has- 

 socks. Cattle seldom 

 touch it. Prefers stiff or 

 marshy bottoms, where 

 the water stands. June. 



Water Hair Grass, 

 (aira aquatica.') Fig. 6-1. This grass Mr. Curtis calls the 

 sweetest of the British grasses, and equal to any foreign one. Its 

 stems and leaves, when green^ have a sweet and agreeable taste 

 like that of liquorice. Water fowls are said to be very fond of 

 the seeds and the fresh green shoots. Cattle also eat it very 

 readily. It is strictly an aquatic, but can be cultivated on 

 imperfectly drained bogs and muddy bottoms. Not common. 

 It flowers in July. 



Fig. 62. Wood Hair Grass. 



