﻿GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 33 



each glume furnished with a long, slender, rough awn, arising im- 

 mediately beneath the summit. Floret of two palea?, (Fig. 2), the 

 outer palea about half the length of the calyx, of an ovate form, with- 

 out lateral ribs ; tipped with a small awn about half the length of the 

 palea. Inner palea rather shorter than the outer palea, thin and 

 pellucid, with the margins entire. 



Obs. — This species is readily distinguished from every other Bri- 

 tish grass by the great length of the awns of the glumes. 



This grass has been applied to no agricultural use. It is rare in 

 Scotland, found only on the Fifeshire coast. In England it occurs 

 along the coasts of Durham, Gloucester, Norfolk, Essex, Kent, and 

 Hants. It has not been discovered either in Ireland or America. It 

 is frequent along the Mediterranean, but does not exist further north 

 than latitude 55°. 



Flowers early in July, and ripens its seed in the second week of 

 August. 



20. Agrostis vulgaris.* 

 Fine Bent- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Floret of two paleae. Ligule short and ob- 

 tuse. Sheaths smooth. (Plate XII.) 



Description. — The usual height about fifteen inches. The root is 

 perennial, tufted, somewhat creeping. Stem erect, round, smooth, 

 and polished ; bearing five or six leaves with smooth striated sheaths ; 

 the upper sheath rather longer than its leaf, crowned with a short ob- 

 tuse membranous ligule. Joints smooth. Leaves rather short, flat, 

 narrow, acute, rough on both surfaces, the edges minutely toothed. 

 Inflorescence compound panicled. Panicle erect, of a brownish pur- 

 ple, sometimes pale green, the branches very delicate, slender, rough, 

 spreading zig zag, arising from the rachis in three or fours at equal 

 distances. Spikelets small, numerous, glossy, of one small awnless 

 floret, shorter than the calyx. Calyx of two narrow acute glumes, 

 (Fig. ] ), nearly of equal size, without lateral ribs, the larger glume 

 the lowermost, minutely toothed on the upper half of the keel. Floret 



* Agrostis vulgaris, Withering, Smith, Hooker, Lindley, Greville, Koch. 



C 



