ch. iv] Key to Vegetative Characters 33 



B. erectus (p. 84), long hairs on margins of blade; 



entire sheath. Shoot section oval. Blades tend 



to fold. 

 Brachypodium sylvaticum (p. 74), blades of pale 



sap-green colour, thin, long, and tapering at 



both ends; usually in shade. 

 B. pinnatum (p. 76), blades only slightly hairy, 



narrow, rigid and tending to roll up; ligiile 



fringed with hairs. 

 Molinia ccerulea (p. 118), roots tough and stringy; 



blades thin, narrowing below and tapering to a 



long point above; ligule absent or represented 



by hairs. 

 [H. pratense (p. Ill), owing to the very slight de- 

 velopment of its auricles may come here.] 

 Group II. Lower leaves setaceous (i.e. bristle-like). 

 A. Leaves permanently folded (at least the lower ones). 

 (a) Roots fibrous. 



Festuca ovina (p. 101), ligule much reduced or absent. 



1. Var. vulgaris, compact tufts; leaves firm; 



auricles short, erect, and rounded off. 



2. Var. tenuifolia (p. 102), smaller tufts and 



finer leaves than var. vulgaris. 



3. Var. duriuscula (p. 102), a more vigorous 



variety than vulgaris, with stouter dark- 

 green leaves. 

 Festuca rubra, L., ligule much reduced or absent. 



1. Var. genuina (p. 102), pink basal sheaths and 



creeping underground rhizomes. 



2. V&T.fallax (p. 103), like genuina but tufted; no 



rhizomes. 



3. Var. heterophylla (p. 103), similar to var. 



fallax, but upper leaves tend to be more 

 open. 

 Festuca Myurus (p. 100), hairs on ribs of infolded 



leaves; ligule obsolete; annual. 

 Aira flexuosa (p. 57), ligule prominent; leaves 

 practically solid; no auricles. 



A. 3 



