GRASS FAMILY 579 



broad ; anthers about five times as long as broad, purple, yellowish 

 when empty. — Watery places, common. —Fl. June— September. 

 Perennial. 



2. G. pliiuta (Plaited-leaved Manna-gras.s), a nearly allied form, 

 has glaucous, rather blunt leaves, plaited when young, with fur- 

 rowed shealbs ; panicle with many branches^ spreading when in 

 fruit ; flozven'iig glume twice as long as broad ; anthers about thrice 

 as long as broad, cream-coloured, brownish w'hen empty. — Stag- 

 nant water ; frequent.--Fl. June — August. Perennial. 



3. G. «}t(u7/t« (Reed Maima-grass). — A conspicuous and inipos- 

 ing grass, 4 — 6 feet high ; root-stock creeping ; leaves never floating, 

 sub-erect, flat, rough on the edges, with long, smooth sheaths ; 

 panicle erect, about a foot long, much branched, with spreading, 

 slender branches ; spikclets numerous, 5 — 10-flowered, oblong ; 

 -flowering glumes i-J- line long, loosely imbricate, 5 — 7-ribbed. — 

 Waterv places ; frequent in England and Ireland, but rare in Scot- 

 land. A fine co^-ert for waterfowl. — Fl. April — -August. Perennial. 



39. ScLEROCHLOA (Maritime r^Ianna-grass). — A group closely 

 related to Glycrna ; but diflering in the cylindric, faintly 5-\eined 

 flowering-ghnne : the slender lodicitles : and the dorsally com- 

 pressed fruil. ( Xame from the Greek skL'ros, hard, chloa, grass.) 



1. S. maritiina (Sea !Manna-grass).— Root-stock creeping, with 

 runners ; stems about a foot high ; leaves involute, with smooth 

 sheaths ; panicle erect, i-sided, i — 4 in. long, generally com- 

 pact, branches short, solitary, or in pairs, rarely 3 or more to- 

 gether ; spikelets not numerous, 4 — S-flowerad ; flowering glume 

 apiculate. — Sandv or nmddy salt marshes ; frequent, — Fl. June — 

 September. Perennial. 



2. 5. iestucijormis. over two feet high, sliglitly geniculate; with 

 broader convolute leaves and stouter build, occurs on the shore 

 of Strangford Lough, co. Down. 



3. 5. rfii/a;;-^ (Refiexed ^lanna-grass). — An allied species, tufted 

 and generally without runners: steins i — 2 feet high, slender; 

 leaves flat ; panicle spreading, with long, slender branches, 4 — 5 

 together, ultimately deflexed ; spikelets \ in. long. 3 — 7-flowered ; 

 flowering glume truncate.— Sandy salt marshes : not common.— Fl. 

 June — October. Perennial. 



4. 5. Barren . somewhat intermediate between the two preced- 

 ing species, is densely tufted, without runners, 6— 2-0 in. high ; 

 leaves flat ; panicle 3 — 6 in. long, with short, branches 2 — 4 to- 

 gether, ascending ; spikelets very small, crowded, 3 — 7- flowered ; 

 flowering glume apiculate. — Salt marshes on the east and south 

 coasts; rare.— Fl. June— -August. Perennial. 



p p 2 



