KEY TO COMMON GRASSES. 47 



17. Very fine bristle-like blade ; rounded shoulder-like 



ears (v. fig. 9 p. 17) Chewings Fescue 



Blades of ordinary width 18 



18. With Poa blade (v. p. 22) Poa Pratensis 

 Blade with distinct ribs and tapering from base to 



tip Creeping Bent 



19. Distinct red colour on underground part of sheath ; 



colour brighter when dead sheaths stripped off 20 

 No red colouration 22 



20. Sheath distinctly compressed just below base of 



leaves Perennial Rye 



Sheath just below base of leaves virtually round 21 



21. Upper surface edges of leaves when rubbed down- 



ward on lip distinctly cutting 



Tall Fescue or Meadow Fescue 

 Leaf only rough, not cutting* Italian Rye 



22. Underground part of sheath with faint but un- 



mistakable yellow colour, both on withered 

 sheaths and on the fresh ones underneath 

 (many specimens may need examination to see 

 this) Crested Dogstail 



Sheaths not yellow at the base 23 



23. With one or at most two distinct swellings about 



the size of a pea, at base of sheath 24 



With no swellings at the base 25 



24. With one or at most two swellings ; length of ligule 



less than half the width of the blade Timothy 



With one swelling ; ligule almost as long as the 



blade is wide Phalaris bulbosa 



25. With leaf sheath compressed 26 

 With leaf sheath round 31 



26. With Poa blade (v. p. 22) 28 

 Without Poa blade 27 



