﻿GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 21 



root is annual, composed of many long simple slender fibres. Stem 

 erect, smooth, not striated, round and polished, the upper part gene- 

 rally of a purplish tinge ; bearing four or five leaves with smooth 

 striated, somewhat swollen sheaths ; the upper sheath more than 

 twice the length of its leaf, crowned with an obtuse ligule embracing 

 the stem. Joints naked. Leaves short, rather broad for their length, 

 acute, roughish to the touch on both surfaces. Inflorescence simple 

 panicled. Panicle erect, crowded, dense, of an oval form, narrow at 

 the base, with very short branches, about one-third the length of the 

 glumes, the rachis rough and hairy. Spikelets numerous, of an oval 

 form, (Fig. 3), imbricated round the rachis ; of one awnless floret 

 about one-third the length of the calyx. Calyx of two equal mem- 

 branous lanceolated glumes, (Fig. 1), fringed on the upper half of 

 the keel as well as on the inner margins. Floret of two paleae, (Fig. 

 2), the outer palea membranous, five-ribbed ; notched on the summit ; 

 hairy on the keel. Inner palea membranous, obtuse, notched at the 

 summit, about equal in length to the outer palea, and entire at the 

 margins. 



Obs. — This grass, independent of the form of the panicle and other 

 characters, is at all times recognized by the small size of the floret, 

 which is not more than one-third the length of the acute calyx. 



It is distinguished from Phleum pratense in being a smaller plant ; 

 the panicle somewhat contracted at the base ; glumes lanceolate, not 

 awned, and of a different form, with the inner margins hairy ; floret 

 not awned, very small, about one-third the length of the calyx; 

 — whereas in P. pratense the panicle is cylindrical ; glumes awned ; 

 inner margins not hairy ; floret tipped with a small awn, and more 

 than half the length of the calyx. 



From Phleum Michelii in the panicle being more compact ; spike- 

 lets much smaller ; glumes not hairy on the lower half of the keels ; 

 floret one-third the length of the palea, and notched at the summit ; 

 — whereas in P. Michelii the panicle is soft to the touch ; spikelets 

 rather large ; glumes hairy the whole length of the keels ; floret 

 one-third shorter than the calyx, and entire at the summit. 



This grass has been applied to no agricultural use. It grows on 



