ch. vn] Botanical Description of Species 



53 



the palea? turned towards the main axis, which is tough and 

 notched. Spikelets of 4-5 flowers. The empty glumes are nearly 

 equal, and 4-5 nerved. 



"Seeds'- boat-shaped, 7-12 mm. long; outer palea with a 

 prominent dorsal nerve; rachilla stout, cylindrical, smooth (or 

 sometimes hairv), widening above, with a concave apex. (Fig. 29.) 





Fig. 31. Panicle of Agrostis palustris, 



(a) just after emerging from its 

 sheath and (6) near the period of 

 flowering. About t nat. size. 



Fig. 32. Panicles of Agrostis stolonifcra 

 (to the left), and Agrostis vulgaris 

 (to the right). About I nat size. 



A common variety of this species — var. arista! u in — has the 



dorsal nerve prolonged into an awn or awn -point, which is 



sub-terminal, and does not exceed the length of the outer 

 palea. 



