23 



The ligule is reduced in a very interesting, and iv. 3 . 

 characteristic fashion. The membranous part is 

 completely absent, and all that represents a ligule 

 is the tuft of hair. A beginner might naturally suppose 

 the ligule absent. The same ligular peculiarity is met 

 with in decumbent heath grass and common reed. 



The blade is practically ribless. 



Summary : 



a. Blade flat, acute-pointed, taper-based, and 



practically ribless. 



b. Ligule a tuft of hairs. 



Group V. Acute Sheathed Grasses. 



When grass is pulled from a pasture, it is easy to v. i. 

 identify the members of this group, in fact, the sharp 

 (acute) edges may readily be felt by the fingers. The 

 shoots are quite flat on the sides^ and the edges acute 

 (not rounded off). Perennial ryegrass, &c., have flat 

 shoots, but the edges are rounded off. 



The blades are acute, and ribless. 



COCKSFOOT. 



Among pasture grasses, this is most readily re- v. i. 

 cognised by the extremely broad and very flat shoots. 



The blades are large and ribless, with a prominent v. 4, 3 . 

 keel on the lower surface. The margins begin to 

 converge beyond the middle, and ultimately form a 

 very acute point. 



The ligule is a thin white membrane, longer than v. 2 . 

 broad, and, therefore, very conspicuous. 



