II J HABITATS Zl 



Grasses as a rule are devoid of strong scents' or tastes, 

 but Anthoa'anthum has a faint but distinct sweet odour, 

 especially as it dries — it is one of the grasses which give the 

 scent to new-mown hay — and a bitter flavour, and Milium, 

 Hierochloe and Holcus are also more or less bitter. Spar- 

 tina stricta emits a strong unpleasant odour. 



The habitat of grasses is of great importance as an aid 

 to determination. No one would expect to find a sea-shore 

 grass growing in a beech-forest, or an aquatic grass on a 

 dry chalk-down; but they are even more true to their 

 habitats than this, and I append the following lists of 

 habitats of British grasses as of use in determining 

 them, though it is not pretended that the limits are 

 absolute. 



In the following list "pasture-grass" (P) means useful 

 for grazing, and "meadow-grass" (M) one that is especially 

 valuable for mowing — i.e. for hay. A " weed " (VV) is used 

 in its agricultural sense for a grass not useful and not 

 wanted on cultivated land, though often found there. 



Meadow- and Pastuue-gr asses. 



(P and M) Dactylis glomerata (fields, &c.), 



(P and M) Poa trivialis (meadow and pasture). 



(W) Bromus m^ensis (cultivated and waste places, meadow and 



pasture). 

 (W) B. sten'lh^ (ruderal). 



(P and M) Foa pratensis (meadow and pasture). 

 (W) Briza media (mecidow and pasture). 

 (P) Avena pratensis (meadow and pasture, especially hilly). 

 (P) A. puhescens (var.)— dry. 



^ The most marked exceptions are the lemon-scented grasses (especi- 

 ally Andropogon) of India and Ceylon. 



