518 THE GRASS FAMILY. [Agrostis, 
1. A. alba, Linn. (fig. 1183). Fiorin-grass.—An elegant but most 
variable perennial grass; in dry mountain pastures often densely 
tufted, and not above 2 or 3 inches high; in rich moist soils creeping 
and rooting at the base, often to a considerable extent ; the flowering 
stems erect, 1 to 2 feet high, with a slender panicle usually very spread- 
ing when in full flower, especially in fine weather, sometimes contracted 
both before and after flowering. Leaves flat, rather short, but narrow. 
Spikelets scarcely a line long. Outer glumes nearly equal or the lowest 
rather the largest. Flowering glume very thin, awnless or rarely with 
a minute awn arising from its base. Palea usually about half its length. 
In pastures and waste places, wet or dry, throughout Europe, 
temperate Asia, and northern America, penetrating far into the Arctic 
regions, and ascending high upon Alpine summits, and reappearing in 
the southern hemisphere. Abundant in Britain. Fl. the whole summer. 
Besides the great differences in size and stature, it varies in the more 
or less spreading panicle of a light-green or purplish colour, in the 
length of the ligula of the leaves, in the degree of prominence of the 
nerves of the glumes and the roughness of their keel, and in other 
minute particulars; but all attempts to combine these characters so as 
to show distinct species, or even to separate marked and permanent 
varieties, have hitherto failed. [The usually recognised forms are A. 
alba, Linn. (including A. stolonifera, Linn.), with a long acute ligula and 
contracted panicle, and A. vulgaris, With. (including A, pumila, Linn. and 
nigra, With.), with a short truncate ligula and spreading panicle. ] 
2..\A. canina, Linn. (fig. 1184). Bent-grass.—Very near A. alba, 
but the leaves are rather finer, the panicle is less spreading, the outer 
olumes longer and more pointed; the flowering one bears on its back 
below the middle a fine awn, which slightly protrudes beyond the outer 
elumes, and the palea is very minute or wholly wanting. 
With A. alba, of which it may be a variety, and having nearly the 
same geographical range, but not generally so common except perhaps 
in some mountain districts. Spread over the whole of Britain. 7. 
summer. 
3. A. setacea, Curt. (fig. 1185). Bristle A—A perennial, with 
densely tufted leaves, mostly radical, and very finely subulate. Stems 
erect, 1 to 2 feet high, with a narrow, slender panicle, always con- 
tracted except during the moment the flowers are expanded. ‘Glumes 
narrow, and more pointed than in A. alba, the lowest always longer 
than the second, the flowering one with a fine awn at its base, usually 
slightly protruding beyond the outer glumes. Palea very minute. 
On dry heaths, in western Europe, from Spain and Portugal to Holland. 
In Britain, only in the south-western counties of England, extending 
eastward to Surrey. Fl. swmmer. 
4. A. Spica-venti, Linn. (fig. 1186). Sdky A.—A rather tall, 
slender, and most elegant annual, with rather narrow, flat leaves. 
Panicle long, and usually spreading, with very slender hair-like 
branches, and little shining spikelets, scarcely a line long, without the 
awns. Outer glumes narrow, very pointed, the second rather larger 
than the lowest one. Flowering glume with a hair-like awn, 3 or 4 
times as long as the spikelet. Palea small with a minute, almost micro- 
scopic appendage at its base, which is the prolongation of the axis of 
the spikelet. Apera Spica-venti, Adans. | 
