148 



BRITISH GRASSES. 



and that it has since been found in Essex and Kent, but 



not elsewhere. We have seen 

 a specimen gathered near 

 Clevedon, in Somersetshire, 

 — a wonderful locality for 

 rare plants certainly; Mr. 

 Bentham also records its 

 presence in Hampshire, and 

 Dr. Parnell at Woolwich. 

 Along the seacoasts of wes- 

 tern Europe it occurs fre- 

 quently, and on the coasts 

 of the Mediterranean, and 

 those of North America. 



Genus XIII. AGBOSTIS. 



Gen. CJiar. Inflorescence a more or less spreading panicle ; 

 spikelets one-flowered ; outer glumes equal, narrow, pointed, 

 awnless ; flowering glume smaller, and also acuminate, 

 generally awned ; palea smaller still or absent. 



1. Agrostis alba, Linn. Common Agrostis. 



Root perennial, tufted, creeping ; stem decumbent at 

 first in some situations, then erect, or erect from the first, 

 smooth, striated ; joints smooth ; leaves flat, short, narrow, 

 numerous, four or five generally on one stem, rather rough 

 all over; sheaths striated, roughish ; ligule long and acute; 

 panicle spreading, more or less densely branched ; spikelets 

 small, numerous, erect ; outer glumes nearly equal, narrow, 

 acute, without ribs, minutely bristled along the keel ; 

 flowering glume thin, ovate, minutely notched at summit, 



