50 BRITISH SPECIES 
glumes slightly webbed and with three of the nerves silky-hairy. 
Perennial, flowering July, August. Poa stricta, the Straight- 
stemmed Meadow-grass, 1s very closely related, but the stems are 
firm and straight ; the leaves taper gradually to the point and are 
flat throughout, not hooded. Branches of the panicle spreading in 
fruit. Nearly always viviparous. 
Growing by springs and rills :— 
Alopecurus alpinus, the Alpine Foxtail, is not unfrequent in the 
Clova glens, and is abundant on Lochnagar. Rootstock stoloni- 
ferous; leaves thick with very prominent ribs. Culms about a 
foot high. Panicle dense, ovoid-oblong, not more than an inch in 
length, purple. Spikelets 2 inch long, 1-flowered ; empty glumes 
united for about one-fourth of their length, awnless, the keel ciliated 
with very long hairs ; flowering glume with a dorsal awn scarcely 
extending beyond its tip or sometimes absent, or (var. Watsonz) 
exceeding the glumes by about one-third of their length ; no palea. 
Perennial, flowering in July. 
Phieum alpinum, the Alpine Catstail, is found in the same locali- 
ties as the last-named, and its panicle is very similar, but recogniz- 
able at a glance by its bristly aspect. Rootstock somewhat 
creeping, with short stolons; leaves short, flat, uppermost sheath 
inflated. Culms about 12 inches. Spikelets 4 inch long, I- 
flowered ; empty glumes truncate with a rigid scabrid awn their 
own length, the keel ciliated with long stiff hairs ; flowering glume 
awnless. Perennial, flowering in July. 
Hierochloe borealis, the Northern Holy-grass, is only known to 
exist in one British locality, viz.on the banks of Thurso River, 
Caithness. Rootstock creeping, stoloniferous ; leaves flat, taper- 
ing. Culms about a foot. Panicle widely spreading, its branches 
capillary and flexuous. Spikelets 4 inch long, brown and shining, 
3-flowered ; the two lower flowers male with three stamens each ; 
the uppermost flower perfect with two stamens ; glumes keeled, 
awnless, the empty ones nearly as long as the spikelet, the flower- 
ing ones mucronate, scarcely awned; palea of the perfect flower 
I-nerved. Perennial, flowering in May and June ; sweet-scented. 
There are also mountain forms of— 
Avena pratensis ; leaves broader than in the lowland species; 
lower sheaths much compressed; some of the branches of the 
panicle bearing 2-3 spikelets. Var. A. alpina. 
Molinia cerulea, var. depauperata; spikelets few, 1-fl., green. 
Deschampsia flexuosa, var. montana ; leaves shorter, spikelets 
larger and more purplish than in the normal form. 
There are several rare alpine forms of Poa nemoralts (P. glauca, 
P. cesia, P. Balfouriz), variously regarded as species or varieties, 
but there is no accordance among botanists as to their differential 
characters. 
Festuca ovina, described in the heath and upland group, is very 
plentiful on mountains, reaching the highest summits, where it is 
often viviparous. Var. Zezuifolia has longer radical leaves, and the 
flowering glumes not awned, but mucronate. 
