﻿142 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



the upper sheath longer than its leaf, crowned with a short obtuse 

 ligule ; the lower sheaths shorter than their leaves. Joints four or 

 five, smooth, often purplish, the first and second rather remote. 

 Leaves dark-green, lanceolate, acute, flat, smooth on the outer sur- 

 face, and roughish on the inner. Inflorescence spiked. Spike com- 

 pressed, erect or slightly curved, about one-third the length of the 

 stem ; rachis smooth. Spikelets sessile, arranged on the rachis alter- 

 nately in two rows ; of six to twelve awnless florets. Calyx of one 

 glume (Fig. 1) of an oblong-lanceolate form, smooth, and five-rib- 

 bed ; situated on the outer side, and shorter than the spikelet. Flo- 

 rets of twopalese, (Fig. 2), the outer palea of lowermost floret shorter 

 than the glume, smooth, ^e-ribbed, membranous, and entire at the 

 summit. Inner palea linear-lanceolate, equal in length to the outer 

 palea, with two green marginal ribs delicately fringed. Filaments 

 slender, shorter than the palea. Anthers cloven at each end. Germen 

 obtuse. Styles very short. Stigmas feathery along the upper side. 

 Seed elliptic-oblong, channeled in front. 



Obs. racemosum, a frequent variety, with the spikelets 



pedunculated. (Plate LXV.) 



angustifolium, a tall and slender variety, with long nar- 

 row leaves. 



tenue, a small starved variety, with the spikelets of three 



or four florets. 



Italicum, (Italian rye-grass, Plate LXV.) This variety 



is an exotic introduced into this country about ten years ago by Mr 

 Lawson, and is now becoming a very frequent grass in the neighbour- 

 hood of Edinburgh, as well as throughout the cultivated districts of 

 Scotland. It differs from Lolium perenne, in the florets having long 

 slender awns ; and from Lolium temulentum, in the glumes being 

 shorter than the spikelets. It is a most valuable grass, well deserving 

 the attention of agriculturists, as producing a large produce of her- 

 bage early in spring, which horses, cows, and sheep are remarkably 

 fond of, and will bear cutting three times during the season, especial- 

 ly when cultivated in moist rich soils or irrigated meadows. The only 

 disadvantage that this grass possesses is, that it does not seem to be 

 strictly a perennial. 



