154 WILD FLOWERS OF SUMMER. 



and in bouquets, where they make a perfect contrast 

 with the more diffuse and pink-tinted Soft Grass 

 family. They have ribbed glumes, and of the two or 

 three florets enclosed one is neuter. The Bough 

 Panic Grass has smooth jointed stems. The Green 

 Panic grows erect, with a crowded spiked panicle. 

 The Loose Panic Grass has its flowers on one side ; 

 the panicle is branched, and the leaves lanceolate. 

 These grasses are related to the millets of India, and 

 in Jamaica and Brazil are valuable as pasturage. 



The Soft Grasses (Holcm) have a crowded panicle 

 of pink- tinged downy florets and soft hairy leaves. 

 The paleae form the coat of the seed, and are awned. 

 The Meadow Soft Grass (H. lanatus) has the lower 

 floret perfect and without an awn. In the middle 

 of June the Creeping Soft Grass (H. mollis) flowers : 

 it has fewer flowers in its panicle, and the upper 

 floret has a very prominent awn. There is a common 

 broad-leaved, rough, tall-growing oat-like Soft Grass 

 (JET. avenaceus) : the florets are large and with unequal 

 glumes ; the lowest floret has an awn. The stamens 

 are long, and the anthers deep purple. 



Amongst the early grasses are the Mellca, or Melic 

 Grasses, remarkable for their broad delicately tinted 



