GRAMINA. 
177 
Stems fasciculate, erect, flexuous, weak, hollow. Leaves flaccid, 
broadly linear, gradually tapering to the apex, very acute, flat, not 
involute when dry, with numerous slender unequal non-contiguous 
slightly scabrous ribs, thinly pubescent with short rather soft hairs, 
bright green. Spike slightly arching or erect, rather lax, rarely com- 
pact, with prominent scale -Hke bracts at the base of the lower spikelets. 
Rachis not fragile, glabrous or pubescent, scabrous on the angles. 
Spikelets 2- to 5 -flowered, longer than the internodes, and sometimes 
equalling 2 internodes, fusiform, slightly compressed. Glumes vari- 
able in length, from half as long to as long as the spikelet, the lower 
one usually equalling the first floret, not overlapping each other at the 
base, linear-elliptical, acuminate and very acute, or even shortly 
awned, strongly ribbed. Lower pale linear-lanceolate, gradually 
pointed and acute, with 2 very obscure teeth at the apex, smooth 
towards the base, distinctly 5-ribbed in the apical third, awned, 
very rarely only mucronate. Awn slender, usually as long as the pale, 
or sometimes longer, rarely only half as long, or in some of the 
florets reduced to a short mucro. 
Var. a, genuinum, 
Spikelets 3- to 5 -flowered. Awn as long as or longer than the 
pale. 
Yar. 3, hijiorum, Mitt. (?) 
T. alpinum, Don. MS. 
Spikelets about 2-flowered. Leaves narrower than in var. a, and 
smooth on both sides. 
In woods and shady places, and on hedge-banks. Local and 
rather scarce. Thinly but widely distributed throughout Britain, 
from Cornwall and Kent to Sutherland, and perhaps Orkney. Scarce 
in Ireland. Yar. 3, *' Rocks on Ben Lawers. G. Don in Mr. 
Borrer's Herbarium." Mr. W. Mitten. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer. 
Plant growing in small lax tufts, with a few short barren and 
flowering stems — the latter 18 inches to 3 feet high. Leaves 6 inches 
to 1 foot long by | to i inch broad. Spikes 3 to 6 inches long. Spike- 
lets f to f inch long, exclusive of the awns. Florets f to ^ inch loner, 
exclusive of the a-RTis. 
Yar. p I have never seen. Dr. Hooker considers it to be T. repens, 
but the plant is said to be " not running at the roots." ' 
Wood Couch-Grass. 
