CHIEF MEADOW AND PASTURE GRASSES 555 



u. Leaf-sheaths pink below ground, smooth and shining. 

 Italian Eye-Grass {Lolium italimm A. 

 Br.). Margin of the leaf-blades 

 smooth ; the blade with indistinct 

 veins when held up to the light. 

 Meadow Fescue (Feshica pratensis 

 Huds.). Margin of the leaf-blade 

 rough (test with the tongue) ; the 

 veins of the leaf-blade appears as 

 white lines when held up to the light. 

 b. Leaf-sheaths not pink : leaf-sheaths often 

 with a few scattered hairs. 



Couch (Agropyruiii repens Beauv.). Dis- 

 tinguished also from the two preceding 

 species by its well-marked rhizomes. 

 2. Base of leaf-sbeatb without claw-like appendages 

 (Fig. 190). 



a. Leaf-sheaths hairy, 

 (i) Leaf-sheath white with pink veins. 



Yorkshire Fog [Holcus lanattis L. ). 

 (ii) Leaf-sheaths without pink veins. 



Soft Brome-Grass (Bronms mollis L.). 



Leaf-sheath keeled and entire ; the 



blades are thin, dry, and very soft. 

 Sweet Vernal - Gra=s {Anthoxanthum p,^, 



odoratum L.). Leaf-sheath not keeled. 



The grass has a characteristic odour and bitter taste ; base of 



leaf-blade rounded with a fringe of long hairs. 

 Yellow Oat-Grass { Trisetum flavescens Beauv. ). Leaf-sheath 



not keeled. 



b. Leaf-sheaths smooth (sometimes sparsely hairy in Tall Oat-Grass), 

 (i) Old leaf-sheaths below ground, dark maroon. 



'SoiAaiO. (A lopecurus pratensis 1j.). Rhizomes present. Ligule 

 not so long as it is broad, and hairy on the back, 

 (ii) Old leaf-sheaths. pale. 



Timothy {Phleuni pratense L.). Tufted habit of growth with- 

 out long rhizomes. Ligule longer than broad and without 

 hairs on the back. Ribs on blade low and flat. 



Florin {Agrostis alba L. ). Has well-developed rhizomes. 

 Ligule long and hairy on the back. Blade rough on boUi 

 sides, with prominent ribs. 



Tall Oat-Grass {Arrhenatherum avenaceum Beauv.). Short 

 rhizomes. Ribs on blade low and flat. 



