294 



The Flora of Wiltshire. 



throwing 1 out roots. Leaves linear, rather blunt, flaccid, often waved, 

 bright green. Panicle spreading, erect, with a triangular outline. 

 Spihelets ovate-oblong. Ligule oblong acute. Glumes very unequal, 

 obtuse, ovate-lanceolate, three-veined. The most common and uni- 

 versally-distributed of all our grasses. 



2. V.nemoralis, (Linn.) wood Meadow-grass. Engl. Bot. t. 1265. 

 Parn. Gr. t. 36. 



Locality. In woods and shady places. P. Fl. June, July. Area, 

 1, * 3, 4, 5. Recorded in all the Districts except the South-middle. 

 A very variable species. Stems very slender, 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves 

 long and narrow, the ligule usually very short, and terminating 

 abruptly. Panicle more or less spreading with slender branches, 2 

 to 6 inches long, drooping or erect. Spihelets ovate, lanceolate, 

 very variable in the number of their flowers. 



3. P. trivialis, (Linn.) roughish Meadow-grass. Engl. Bot. t. 

 1072. Parn Gr. t. 35. 



Locality. Meadows and pastures, in rather moist and shady 

 places. P. Fl. June. Area, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recorded in all the 

 Districts. Stem 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves linear, acute, rough on both 

 sides. Ligule usually very thin, long and terminating in a point. 

 Panicle much branched, the branches very rough, widely spreading. 

 Spihelets compressed, ovate, 3 or 4 flowered. One of the most 

 common of our meadow and pasture grasses, especially where the 

 soil is moist and rich. 



4. P. pratensis, (Linn.) smoothed stalked Meadow-grass. Engl. 

 Bot. t. 1073. Parn. Gr. t. 31, 34. 



Locality. Meadows and pastures. P. Fl. June, July. Area, 

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Very common in all the Districts. Panicle erect, 

 widely spreading. Spihelets oblong-ovate, 3 or 4 flowered. Flowers 

 acute, more or less copiously webbed. Lower palea with 5 veins. 

 Uppermost sheath much longer than its leaf. Ligule obtuse. Stem 

 and leaves smooth, very variable in size. The essential mark of this 

 species, compared with the last, P. trivialis, consists in its very short, 

 abrupt, pointless stipula, which in every leaf of every variety, proves 

 constant and invariable. This is the most valuable of all grasses 

 for pasture and hi*y, as our richest meadows in " North 



