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^!, 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 

 glumes longer and more pointed ; the flowering one bears on its back 

 below the middle a fine awn, which slightly protrudes beyond the outer 

 glumes, 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. Fl. 

 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. summer. 



4. A. Spica-venti, Linn. (fig. 1186). Silky 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. 



