roughness is perceived to be due to the presence of 

 sharp tooth-like processes on the summits of the ribs. 

 These teeth are composed mainly of silica, and, 

 indeed, it may he said that the surface of the plant is 

 a siliceous shell, comparable in many respects to the 

 shell of a mussel or of a whelk, only much thinner. As 

 the thermometer indicates temperature, so tufted hair 

 grass shows the presence of soluble silica in the soil. 



The ligule is very long and acute. n. 



This grass is common on hill pastures and moor- 

 lands ; it is usually very conspicuous, forming, as it 

 does, remarkably large leafy tufts hence the term 

 tufted. 



Summary : 



a. Five or six snow-white bands are seen when 



the blade is held up to the light. 



b. Blade very rough and hard ; ligule long and 



acute. 



c. The plant usually forms very large and con- 



spicuous leafy tufts. 



Group III. Bulbous Grasses, with Low, 

 Flat Ribs. 



These are readily distinguished from other grasses 

 by the bulb-like thickening at the base of each shoot. 



TIMOTHY. 



The leaves are light in colour, and often glaucous^ 

 from the presence of a superficial waxy bloom, more 

 especially on soils of a dry type. The blades are 

 somewhat stiff, and do not spread out horizontally, 

 but ascend obliquely into the air. 



