By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 



287 



flowered spikelets of which being stalked, and expanding" at the time 

 of flowering, renders the appearance of the inflorescence very light 

 and elegant. Flowers green or purplish. Leaves narrow, radical, 

 involute. Sheaths smooth, ligule oblong acute. The very lax panicle 

 and the root-leaves not being densely tufted, distinguish A, canina 

 from A. setacea at first sight . 



3. A. vulgaris, (With.) fine Bent-grass. Engl* Bot. t. 1671. 

 Paru. Qr. t. 12 & 13. 



Locality. Meadows, pastures and banks. P. El. July. Area, 

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Distributed throughout all the Districts. One of 

 our most common grasses — though preferring rather dry soils and 

 situations. Panicle loose, its branches and branchlets spreading, 

 mostly smooth. Glumes nearly equal, the outer one toothed on the 

 upper part of the keel. Ligule very short, truncate. Stems long, 

 ascending or decumbent. Sheaths smooth. Pedicels toothed. 

 Flowers rarely awned. Very similar to the next species, A. alba, 

 with which it is often confounded, but it may be readily distinguished 

 by its panicle being open, not only during flowering but afterwards, 

 and by the trichotomous divisions of the panicle branches being 

 more divaricate. 



4. A. alba, fLinn.) Marsh Bent-grass, Fiorin-grass. Engl. Bot. 

 t. 1189. Parn. Gr. t. 13 & 14. 



Locality. Pastures, roadsides, and in various other situations 

 abundant. P. Fl. July. Area, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recorded in all the 

 Districts. Very closely allied to the last, and united to it by Mr. 

 Bentham. Stems ascending, often rooting at the base, or throwing 

 out scions (stolones) . Panicle rather contracted, pale green or pur- 

 plish, branchlets patent during flowering, more erect afterwards, and 

 giving the panicle a compact appearance, Ligule very acute. 

 Sheaths roughish. Flowers rarely awned. A very variable plant. 

 This grass, with several other well-known and common species, in a 

 luxuriant state, is considered by many botanists to compose the 

 celebrated Orcheston long-grass. 1 



1 See Dr. Maton's paper on this grass which he communioated to the 

 Linnean Sooiety, in the fifth volume of their Transactions. — T.B.F. 



Y 2 



