CH. iv] Key to Vegetative Characters 33 



B. erectus (p. 84), long hairs on margins of blade; 



entire sheath. Shoot section oval. Blades tend 



to fold. 

 Brachypodium sylvaticum (p. 74), blades of pale 



sap-green colour, thin, long, and tapering at 



both ends; usually in shade. 

 B. pinnatum (p. 76), blades only slightly hairy, 



narrow, rigid and tending to roll up; ligule 



fringed with hairs. 

 Molinia ccerulea (p. 118), roots tough and stringy; 



blades thin, narrowing below and tapering to a 



long point above; ligule absent or represented 



by hairs. 



[//. pratense (p. Ill), owing to the very slight de- 

 velopment of its auricles may come here.] 

 GROUP II. Lower leaves setaceous (i.e. bristle-like). 

 A. Leaves permanently folded (at least the lower ones). 

 (a) Boots fibrous. 



Festuca ovina (p. 101), ligule much reduced or absent. 



1. Var. vulgaris, compact tufts; leaves firm; 



auricles short, erect, and rounded off. 



2. Var. tenuifolia (p. 102), smaller tufts and 



finer leaves than var. vulgaris. 



3. Var. duriuscula (p. 102), a more vigorous 



variety than vulgaris, with stouter dark- 

 green leaves. 

 Festuca rubra, L., ligule much reduced or absent. 



1. Var. genuina (p. 102), pink basal sheaths and 



creeping underground rhizomes. 



2. Var. fallax (p. 103), like genuina but tufted ; no 



rhizomes. 



3. Var. heterophylla (p. 103), similar to var. 



fallax, but upper leaves tend to be more 

 open. 

 Festuca Myurus (p. 100), hairs on ribs of infolded 



leaves; ligule obsolete; annual. 

 Aira flexuosa (p. 57), ligule prominent; leaves 



practically solid; no auricles. 

 A. 3 



