108 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



ribs. Florets of two palese (Fig. 2), the outer palea of lowermost 

 floret longer than the glumes, roughish to the touch ; membranous 

 at the summit and often bifid ; five-ribbed, the dorsal rib terminat- 

 ing in a short rough men passing behind the membranous summit. In- 

 ner palea membranous, equal in length to the outer palea, acute, with 

 two green marginal ribs minutely fringed. 



variegatum, a variety with large spikelets variegated 



with purple and white. The branches of the panicle short. The 

 leaves rather broad and hairy on the inner surface. (Plate XL VII.) 

 Frequent along the sea shore and on banks of rivers. 



Obs. — Bucetum elatior is distinguished from Bucetum giganteum in 

 the aicn of the outer palea being very short, not one-sixth the length 

 of the palea ; — whereas in B. giganteum the aivn of the outer palea is 

 very long, more than the length of the palea. (Plate XL VII.) 



From Bucetum pratense, in the panicle being compound instead of 

 simple. 



This is a nutritive and very productive grass, grows naturally in 

 rich moist soils of a tenacious clayey nature by the banks of rivers, 

 in moist shady woods, and near the sea coast. Notwithstanding its 

 coarse appearance cattle appear fond of it, especially cows. It would 

 form a valuable grass for those damp soils that cannot be made suf- 

 ficiently dry for the growth of more valuable grasses. Festuca ela- 

 tior is a frequent grass in Scotland, England, and Ireland, also a na- 

 tive of Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Switzerland, 

 Italy, and North America. Its limit of altitude is about 500 feet 

 above the sea. 



Flowers in the first week of July, and ripens its seed about the 

 middle of August. 



72. Bucetum giganteum. * 

 Tall Bearded Fescue-Grass. 



Specific Character. — Awn longer than the palea. (XLVIL) 

 Description. — It grows from three to four feet high. The root is 



• Bromus giganteus, Linn, Hooker. Festwaa gigantea, Smith, Lindley, Koch. Buce- 

 tum giganteum, PamelL 



