C'LASSIII. ORDER II.J TRITICUM. 155 



Habitat. — Woods, banks, and hedges ; fiequcnt. 



Pei-ennial ; flowering in July. 



For agricultural purposes, this grass might be cultivated with ad- 

 vantage for pasturage in a light soil. It produces an abundant and 

 early nutritious herbage, but very little in the latter part of the season ; 

 this, however, is the same, with very few exceptions, with all the 

 grasses that produce their foliage early in the spring. It is nearly 

 allied to the following species, and in some instances is only to be 

 distinguished by its fibrous root. 



2. T. re'pens, Linn. (Fig. 197.) creeping/ Wheat-grass, or Couch-grass. 

 Glumes lanceolate, awned, many-ribbed ; florets from four to 

 eight, pointed or awned ; leaves flat ; root with creeping under- 

 ground stems. 

 English Botany, t. 909.— English Flora, vol. 1. p. 183.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 56. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn, p. 402. — 

 Agropy'rum re'pens, Beauv. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 298. 



Roots with numerous creeping, branched, underground stevis, the 

 joints having membranous sheaths. Stem erect, smooth, striated and 

 leafy, round, slender, from two to three feet high. Leaves flat, linear, 

 lanceolate, striated, spreading, smooth at the base, rough towards the 

 point, especially on the upper surface, which is also sometimes hairy, 

 of a pale somewhat glaucous-green. Sheaths long, close, smooth, stri- 

 ated. Ligula very short, crenaled. Inflorescence an erect spike, from 

 three to four inches long ; the angles of the zigzag rachis slightly 

 hairy or serrated. Spikelets alternate, distant or crowded. Glumes 

 lanceolate, with a long point or awn of variable length, roughish, 

 keeled, and from four to eight-ribbed. Florets from four to eight each, 

 on a short, round, smooth footstalk, at first close, spreading when in 

 flower. Glumelles equal : the otilcr smooth, lanceolate, with from four 

 to eight more or less distinct ribs ; the keel roughish, terminating in 

 an acute point, or a rough awn, of variable length ; inner valve thin, 

 membranous, obtuse, with two lateral rough ribs. Stigmas long, fea- 

 thery. Anthers yellow. Fruit furrowed on one side. 

 Habitat. — Fields and waste places ; very common. 

 Perennial ; flowering during the summer months. 

 This grass, on account of its long underground stems, which grow 

 and spread very rapidly, is a most troublesome weed in gardens and 

 cultivated lands, especially of a light soil. It readily breaks off" at its 

 numerous joints, from every one of which it is capable of putting out 

 roots and stems, which render it difficult of extirpation. These under- 

 ground stems of the Couch-grass contain a large proportion of nutritive 

 matter, much more than in either the flowering stems or leaves; and 

 on the Continent they are collected and esteemed as food for horses 

 and other cattle ; indeed it has been stated, on the authority of a 



