316 GEAMINACE2E. 



by field paths, and in moist places ; tlie brown hue of its florets 

 distinguishes it. These, and the Bristle-leaved Bent-grass, 

 have awns. 



The Fine Bent-grass (A. vulgaris), is a familiar plant in 

 meadows and pastures, its very slender shining purple panicle 

 crowning a stem less than a foot high. 



The Marsh Bent-grass (A. alba), grows abundantly in swampy 

 ground ; it is the Fiorin-grass about which a great fuss has 

 been made, it being argued that it would make super-excellent 

 marsh herbage. It grows to a great size and richness in 

 Ireland ; but it does not attain any excellence in our English 

 marshes. It is called by country people " Quicks,"* and is a 

 troublesome weed in corn land. These two Bent-grasses have 

 no awns. 



The Dog's-tooth-grass (Cynodon dactylon), has two lance- 

 shaped, acute, spreading glumes, and two very unequal com- 

 pressed palese. The florets are arranged in loose spikes, five 

 spikelets in a cluster ; the leaves are sharp-pointed and hairy. 

 It frequents our seashores, flowering in July and August. 

 Fanny has it from Cornwall. This Grass is called " Doob " 

 in India, and held sacred by the Brahmins. The European 

 settlers make their lawns of it, sending the natives to collect 

 the plants from the plains. 



The Finger-grasses resemble the Dog's-tooth-grass in the 

 arrangement of their flowers, but they have sometimes three 

 glumes. 



The Hairy Finger-grass (Digitaria sanguinalis), grows in 

 fields, but rarely ; our fortunate friend has met with it also 

 in Cornwall. 



The Smooth Finger-grass (D. humifusa), is a smaller plant, 

 and is peculiar to the eastern coast. 



The Panick-grasses form an important family. To it belong 

 the true Millets of India, Arabia, and the south of Europe 

 Grasses which, for their utility for human food, deserve to be 

 ranked among the corn group. 



