36 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



Obs. — Agrostis alba is distinguished from Agrostis vulgaris in the 

 sheaths being rough to the touch ; ligule long and acute, and the keel 

 of the large glume of the calyx toothed nearly to the base ; — whereas 

 in A. vulgaris the sheaths are smooth. Ligule very short and obtuse, 

 and the keel of the large glume of the calyx toothed only on the upper 

 part. 



From Agrostis canina, in the floret having an inner palea, whilst in 

 A. canina the inner palea is wanting. 



Farmers generally consider this grass a troublesome weed, as its 

 long creeping roots impoverish the soil. It is eaten by cattle, but 

 they are not fond of it. It grows in meadows, pastures, and dry sandy 

 ground, and sometimes attains the elevation of nearly 2000 feet above 

 the sea. 



Flowers in the third week of July, and ripens its seed in the end of 

 August, 



22. Agrostis canina. * 



Brown Bent- Grass. 



Spedfic Characters. — Floret of one palea. Ligule long. Sheaths 

 smooth. (Plate XV.) 



Description. — It grows from one to two feet high. The root is pe- 

 rennial, creeping. Stem erect, slender, slightly decumbent at the 

 base, round, smooth, and glossy ; bearing four or five leaves with per- 

 fectly smooth sheaths ; the upper sheath much longer than its leaf, 

 crowned with a long membranous pointed ligule. Joints smooth. 

 Leaves narrow, taper-pointed, those of the root setaceous, rough on 

 both surfaces, and serrated at the edges. Inflorescence compound 

 panicled, of a greenish or yellowish-brown. Panicle erect, spreading 

 while in flower, otherwise close ; the branches very delicate, elastic, 

 rough, with minute teeth ; arising from the rachis mostly in threes or 

 fives, Spikelets numerous, small, acute, on footstalks about the length 

 of the glumes ; of one awned floret concealed within the calyx. Calgx 

 of two unequal acute glumes, (Fig. 1), the outer glume the larger, 

 without lateral ribs, toothed the whole length of its keel. Floret of 



* Agrostis canina, Linn. Smith, Hooker, Greville, Koch. Trichodeum caninmn, Lind- 

 lev, Schrader. 



