VEGETATION OF MEADOWS AND PASTURES 67 



upper ones of which are rolled. The spikelets are sharply pointed, 

 or they may have very short awns. There are several varieties 

 of this grass, and it is not easy to differentiate them (see Fig. 

 25). The Hard Fescue grows taller than the others, and belongs 

 to moister soils ; the Red or Creeping Fescue has red sheaths to 

 the lower leaves, and belongs to poor, stony land. 



The Field Woodrush (Luzula campestris) is found in almost 

 every kind of pasture land. It differs from 

 the Common Rush (genus Juncus) in its 

 grasslike leaves, which are often fringed 

 with a few long white hairs. The flowers 

 of this species are six or eight together in 

 clusters, the perianth is brown with bright 

 coloured shining edges. This is one of the 

 first plants to flower in pastures in spring ; 

 it grows low, and is easily distinguished 

 from the surrounding grass by the brown 

 colour of the inflorescence. The Lady's 

 Mantle is a perennial with large radical 

 leaves, which form, as it were, a small cup 

 or saucer that contains drops of rain or 

 dew. The rain does not wet the leaf, but 

 touches it at the base, where a tuft of 

 hairs prevents it running down the leaf- 

 stalk. The flowers have no petals. 



The Wild Thyme is also a low growing 

 plant, readily recognised by its character- 

 istic scent and the dense tuft of purple 

 flowers covering the wiry stems. The 

 flowers are two-lipped, resembling those 

 of the Deadnettle in structure, but they are' very much smaller. 

 The leaves are small with a few hairs on each side. It flowers 

 the whole summer from about June onwards. 



The Flax (Linum catharticum] is a very characteristic pasture 

 plant. It has a slender stem, not more than six or eight inches 

 high, with small leaves opposite each other, and small, pure 

 white flowers on slender stalks. There are other species of the 

 genus, such as the flax from which linen is obtained, which have 



FIG. 27. Cathartic Flax 

 (Linum catharticum). 



