Ill] VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS 47 



A. prwcojc, L. (Early Hair-grass). Greener and more 

 glabrous. Habit more rigid. 



A. canescens, L. (Grey Hair-grass). Glaucous or 



purplish; rare, on S.E. coasts. 



(y) Leaves narroio and more or less involute, and 

 subulate upwards, but easihj unrolled, and apt to 

 become Ji^itter as they age. 



Avena pratensis, L. (Perennial Oat). Leaves rather 

 thin, dry, harsh, ridgeless, with flanking lines and a keel^ ; 

 glaucous, glabrous, but edges scabrous. Usually involute, 

 but may open out. Ligule long ovate-acute. Dry pastures, 

 especially on calcareous soil, and of little value. 



Poa maritima, Huds. (Sea-grass). Leaves narrow, 



rather short, and U-shaped in section. Involute : ridgeless, 



with flanking lines, but no keel ; soft and rather thick. 



Ligule rather long, obtuse and decurrent. Useless 



agriculturally. 



For difficulties with other species of Avcna and Poa see pp. 44, 

 54 and 60. 



(h) Grasses with the leaves expanded, more or less 



flat. 



(1) Blades conspicuously ridged — i.e. the surface is raised 



in prominent longitudinal ridges with furrows between. 



(i) Leaves rigid and hard, sharp pointed. Sheath and 



outer leaf-surface iisually glabrous. 



Aira ccuspltosa, L. (Tufted Hair-grass). Forms large 

 tufts. A coarse weed forming bad tussocks in wet meadows 

 and pastures : useless for fodder. Leaves flat. Ligule 

 long, acute. Ridges equal, high and sharp, and scabrid, 



1 Very like a Poa when opened out, but the leaves are scabrid at the 

 sheaths. 



