1'^-^ ENGLISH BOTANY. 
Yar. 3 cannot possibly be mistaken for F. elatior, but may readily 
be passed over as Lolium perenne, which it closely resembles in habit, 
but the spikelets are always shortly stalked, and have two dumes 
and not only one as in Lolium. It might also possibly be mistaken 
lor Wyceria fluitans, but the pales are not truncate nor 7-ribbed as in 
that plant. 
Mr. H. C. Watson, by cultivating F. loliacea has found that it 
produces ordmary F. pratensis, and that in the same tuft simple and 
cc)mpound panicles appear. There is, however, great weight of au- 
thority for the occurrence of two plants, one a depauperised state of 
h . pratensis, the other a plant which Fries puts in the genus Brachv- 
podmm and Godron in the genus Glyceria, while others consider It 
a hybrid between F. pratensis and Lolium perenne. It is difficult to 
speak from dried specimens, but if there be a plant distinct from the 
depauperised F. pratensis, I am unacquainted with it in the lining 
state, though the variety above mentioned is common. 
Meadow Fescue- Grass, 
GENUS XXXIX.--B-ROMJJ B, Linn. 
Spikelets stalked or rarely subsessile, chsposed in a lax and open or 
dense and contracted panicle, at first cylindrical, afterwards laterally 
compressed, open during flowering, with 4 to 15 perfect florets. Glumes 
2, shorter than the florets, unequal, or nearly equal concave or keeled 
pointed or mucronate, subherbaceous. Pales 2, the lower one keeled or 
rounded on the back, bifid or 2-toothed, almost always awned from a 
little below the apex, 2 of the lateral ribs, as well as the midrib, usually 
running into the awn, very rarely without any awn, subherbaceous ; 
upper pale entire or 2-toothed, 2-ribbed, scarious. Lodicules 2, entire! 
Stamens 3, very rarely 2 or 1. Stigmas 2, sessile, almost always in- 
serted below the summit of the ovary, plumose, protruded between 
the sides of the florets bet^veen the basal margins of the pales. 
Caryops adherent to the upper pale, glabrous, but almost always 
downy at the apex, oblong-convex on the back, deeply furrowed on 
the inner face. 
Leaf-slieatbs usually split at or towards the apex only. 
The name of this genas is derived from the Greek word, (ip&ita, food. 
Section L— FESTUCARIA. Gren. & Godr, 
Spikelets not enlarged towards the apex except during the time 
<-.f flowering. Florets usuaUy widely open during the tim^ of flower- 
ing. Lower pale lancef>late, semi-cylindrical, rounded on the back 
