Agbostis.] GRAMINEJE. ill 



the glume, terete, glabrous. — Distrib. All temp, and cold climates ; 

 species 100. — Etym. An old Greek name. 



Section 1. TricWdium, Michx. (gen.). Upper empty glume smaller 

 than the lower. Palea very minute or 0. 



1. A. cani'na, L. ; leaves narrow flat smooth. 



Moors, heaths, &c., N. to Shetland ; ascends to 1.500 ft. in Derby ; Ireland ; 

 Channel Islands ; fl. July- Aug. — Perennial, glabrous, smooth. Stems 6-24 in., 

 sometimes stoloniferous. Leaves 2-5 in., jVt's in. broad ; ligule oblong. 

 Panicle 2-4 in., slender, flexuous, flowering open, fruiting contracted, purplish 

 or green; branches capillary, scabrid. Fl. glume § shorter than the empty, 

 truncate, nerves 5, excurrent ; awn from above the base, variable in length, 

 bent in the middle. — Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. and W. Asia ; Hima- 

 laya ; N. and S. America, Australasia. 



2. A. seta'cea, Curt. ; leaves setaceous margins involute scaberulous. 

 Dry downs, Glamorgan, Berks, Surrey, Cornwall to Sussex ; fl. June-July. — 



Perennial. Stem 8-12 in., strict, scaberulous. Leaves very many, erect, 

 rigid ; ligule oblong. Panicle l§-3§ in., and spikelets much as in A. cani'na, 

 but empty glumes scabrid, almost awned ; fl. glumes with a longer rather' 

 twisted awn, and 2 minute tufts of hairs at the base ; palea minute. — 

 Distrib. Belgium, France, Spain. 



Section 2. Agros'tis proper. Empty glumes subequal, or upper 

 smaller than the lower. Palea 2-nerved. 



3. A. vulga'ris, With. ; ligule short truncate, fruiting panicle 

 spreading. 



Meadows and marshy places, N. to Shetland; ascends to 3,200 ft. in the 

 Highlands ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-Sept. — Perennial. Stems 

 6-24 in., ascending, smooth. Leaves short, flat, scabrid ; sheaths smooth. 

 Panicle 1-3 in., narrowly ovate, but variable in form. Empty glumes ^ in., 

 subequal, ovate or lanceolate, acute, nearly smooth, dull red or purplish and 

 green ; fl. glume a little shorter, truncate, 3-nerved, 3 times longer than the 

 palea; awn or short. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, Himalaya, N. 

 America. 



A. vulga'ris proper; slender, panicle usually elongate, fl. glume rarely awned. 

 — Var A.pu'mila, L. ; short, stout, panicle shorter, branches stouter, empty 

 glumes broader, fl. glume usually awned. — Var. A. ni'gra, With.; taller 

 more robust, panicle more scabrid, branches more rigid, spikelets larger. 

 — Salop, Stafford, Worcester, Warwick. 



4. A. alba, L. ; ligule long acute, fruiting panicle contracted. Fiorin 

 Grass. 



Pastures and waste places, K to Shetland ; ascends to 1,400 ft. in Yorkshire ; 

 Ireland; Channel Islands; fl. July-Sept.— Perennial. Stems 6-24 in., more 

 or less prostrate below, scaberulous above. Leaves flat, scabrid or not; 

 sheaths smooth. Panicle 1-8 in., branched or lobed, green or yellowish 

 branches scabrid. Empty glumes much as in A. vulga'ris, but rather larger 

 more rigid, not so shining; fl. glume 5-nerved, rai'ely awned. — Distrib. 



