448 GRAMINE^E. [FESTUCA. 



VAR. loliacea, Huds. (sp. ) ; inflorescence racemose or spiked, spikelets dis- 

 tichous, awn 0, fl. glumes more obtuse. 



3. F. Riaran tea, Vill. ; leaves flat, panicle very open nodding, fl. 

 glumes 3-8 scabiid, awn double their length, ovary glabrous. Bromus, L. 

 Damp woods and hedgebanks, from Argyle and Elgin southwards ; ascending 



to 1,000 ft. in Yorkshire; fl. July-Aug. Habit of Bromm. Hoot fibrous. 

 Stem 2-4 ft., smooth, terote, nodding. Leaves flaccid, J-J in. broad, bright 

 green, striate, scaberulous above ; sheaths smooth. Panicle 8-12 in. ; 

 branches in pairs, and 3-quetrous rachis long slender scabrid. .Sy///. /. tx 

 i in., linear-ovate or -oblong, membranous, pale green ; empty glumes 

 lanceolate, broadly hyaline ; fl. glumes 2-fid, awn variable in length, very 

 slender, flexuous ; styles subterminal. DiSTRlB. Europe, Siberia. Flowers 

 sometimes few (F. trijtora, Sm.). 



** Lifjnle of upper sheath long, not aurided. 



4. P. sylvat ica, Vill, ; leaves involute, panicle open subsecund sub- 

 erect, fl. glumes 3-5 acute scabrid, top of ovary hairy. F. Calamaria, Sm. 

 Woods in hilly districts, from Banff and Inverness southwards ; rare in Ireland ; 



fl. July. Root fibrous, stolons short. Stem, 2-3 ft., stiff, erect, smooth, 

 terete. Leaves ^-J in. broad, glaucous above, edges scabrid ; sheaths 

 almost smooth, lower lax leafless brown. Panicle 3-6 in., ovate, much 

 branched ; rachis and 2-4-nate branches very slender, slightly scabrid. 

 8pikelett\m., broadly ovate, small, flat, pale yellow-green; axis scabrid ; 

 empty glumes linear-subulate ; fl. glumes spreading, slender, acuminate, 

 shortly awned, scaberulous. DISTRIB. W. Europe to Austria, Germany, 

 and Italy. F. decidua, Sm., is a narrower-leaved 2-flowered variety. 

 SECTION 2. Festu'ca proper. Perennial. Lower (or all) leaves seta- 

 ceous ; ligule auricled. Spikelets panicled. Flowers 3-androus. 



5. F. ovi'na, L. ; glaucous, leaves setaceous or upper flat, ligule 

 2-lobed, panicle subunilateral, spikelets 4-10-fld. purplish, fl. glumes 

 terete mucronate or shortly awned. 



Dry hilly pastures, woods, &c., at all elevations; fl. June-July.--One of the 

 most abundant grasses, 3-24 in., slender, variable in size, colour, and luibit : 

 the following sub-species express its principal modifications. DISTUIH. 

 Europe, N. Africa, Siberia, Himalaya, N. and S. America, Mts. of Aus- 

 tralia and New Zealand. 



Sub-sp. OVI'NA proper ; densely tufted, leaves all setaceous, sheaths glabrous, 

 panicle contracted subsecund, spikelets small, fl. glumes | in. awned often 

 viviparous. Upland copses, moors and sandy places ; ascending to 4,300 ft. 

 (Arctic). VAR. tenuSfJlia, Sibth. (sp.) ; leaves very slender setaceous, fl. 

 glumes awnless. 



Sub-sp. Di'iui-s'cULA, L. (sp.); less densely tufted, stem-leaves flat, sheaths 

 downy, panicle more open, fl. glumes in. narrow. Moist hilly places; 

 ascending to 2,700 ft. in the Highlands. 



Sub-sp. RU'BRA, L. (sp.); taller, laxly tufted, stoloniferous, leaves flat or in- 

 volute, lower sheaths hairy, panicle effuse subsecund, spikelets pale red, fl. 

 glumes -J-4 in. broader awned. Shaded places in low grounds. VAR. 

 *al>utic'o/a,Dusf. ; creeping, leaves all involute. Sandy shores. 

 SECTION 3. Vul'pia, Gmel. (gen.). Annual. Leaves setaceous. 



Spikelete racemose or spiked. F/snoers 1-3-androus. 



6. F. Myn'rus, L. ; panicle branched at the base only, very long and 



