516 THE GRASS FAMILY. [ Agrostis. 
straight awn on the back below the middle. Palea much smaller or alto. 
gether wanting. The axis of the spikelet within the outer glumes glabrous 
or very shortly hairy. 
The genus, as now limited to the exclusion of the more tropical Sporo- 
bolus, 1 is chiefly spread over the temperate regions of the globe. Some 
species are commonly called Bents in some parts of the country, a name 
given by others more especially to the Cynosurus cristatus. 
-Awn 2 to 4 times as long as the spikelets. pecs glume longer ; 
than the lowest . 4, A Spica-venti. 
Awn none, or not twice as long as the spikelet. " Outer glumes 
equal, or the lowest the longest. 
Leaves flat (broad or narrow). 
Flowering glumes awnless or witha very short awn at its 
base. Palea about half its length ; . Ll. A. abba; 
Flowering glume with a short awn below the middie. - Palea 
minute or none . ; ‘ . 2. A. canina. 
Leaves very fine and Suibalate ) . 17 peace oo Bs Al weeeee 
1, &. alba, Linn. (fig. 1180). Common Agrostis, 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 spreading 
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 a little less than 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. Jl. 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 recognized forms are A. alba, Linn. (including J. stolonifera, 
Linn.), with a long acute liguia and contracted panicle, and A. vulgaris, 
With., with a short truncate ligula and spreading panicle. | 
2. &. canina, Linn. (fig. 1181). Brown Agrostis, 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 mere variety,and has apparently 
the same geographical range, but not generally so common except per- 
haps in some mountain districts. Spread over the whole of Britain. 
Fl, summer. 
3. 4. setacea, Curt. (fig. 1182). Bristle Agrostis.—A perennial, 
with densely tufted leaves, mostly radical, and very finely subulate. Stems 
