ur] VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS 49 
Lolium perenne, L. (Perennial Rye-grass). Very valu- 
able pasture-grass, especially on clay. Less successful as 
hay. Deep rooted tufts. Glossy dark green. Ligule short 
(Fig. 11). Sheath red or purplish below. Blade con- 
duplicate and keeled, often rounded, collared or eared 
at the base; with rounded ridges and rough above, 
shining below. When the ears are well developed their 
points often cross one over the other in front of the sheath. 
L. italicum, Braun. (Italian Rye-grass), is an earlier and 
better variety for hay and sewage farms. Shoot more 
rounded in section, and has less marked veins on the more 
rolled leaf. 
L. temulentum, L. (Common Darnel), is annual and a 
weed of corn-fields. Foliage usually rougher. 
Lolium perenne presents some difficulties in relation to such 
forms as L. italicum, species of Agrostis and Festuca, Alopecurus 
pratensis, Cynosurus and Agropyrum. 
Owing to the leaves not being always strictly conduplicate in 
the first year, the flat shoots may not sharply mark it off from 
L. italicum, Its somewhat looser, almost stoloniferous tufts, and 
darker green foliage, less polished below and usually narrower and 
harder, have then to be taken into account. 
The ridges of Loliwm are often like those of Festuca pratensis ; 
and the shining lower surface and rather firm leaves and red sheaths, 
present other points of confusion. The smooth basal margins of 
Lolium, absence of white translucent lines when held up, and the 
different ligule and ears afford distinctions—the ligule of Festuca 
being a mere line, and the ears pointed and projecting, whereas 
they may be mere lateral ledges in Lolium. 
Cynosurus has the ligule and ears very like those of Lolium, the 
ears being mere ledges ; but the former has yellow sheaths, firmer 
and thicker leaves with more evident ridges, and the old plants 
usually have the characteristic crested spikes remaining. Cynosurus, 
moreover, has the sheath split only a short way down. 
W. 4 
