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A G RO ST IS vulgaris.
Fine Bent-gOrass.
T R IA N D R IA Digynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. of 2 acute valves, single-flowered.
Cor. of 2 unequal membranous valves. Stigmas
feathery. .
Spec. Char. Panicle spreading; with divaricated capillary
branches. Calyx-valvés equal. Inner petal
obtuse, half as long as the other.
S y n . Agrostis vulgaris. With. 132. Sm. FI. Brit. 79.
Hull. 19. Relh. 27. Knapp, t. 26 and 115.
A . tenuis. Sibth. 36.
A . capillaris. Abbot. 14. •
A . polymorpha a. Huds. 3 1 .
Gramen miliaceum locustis minimis, paniculâ ferè
arundinaceâ. Raii Syn. 4 0 2 .
T h i s grass, common in July and August in pastures, fields,,
and on banks by road sides, was always taken for A . capillaris of
Linnaeus, till bis Herbarium came amongst us. See PI. Ic. ex
Herb. Linn. t. 54, where the true plant of that name is figured,
specimens of which from Portugal I have lately received from
Sir Thomas Gage.
The root of A . vulgaris is perennial and somewhat creeping.
Stem erect, smooth, slender, leafy. Leaves narrow, acute,
roughish, with long sheaths. Stipula short and blunt. Panicle
upright, purplish, well known by its very numerous,
spreading, capillary, zigzag branches, variously forked and
subdivided, and its little ovate shining flowers. Calyx-valves
nearly equal, lanceolate, rather acute, concave, with a membranous
edge. Petals very thin, greenish white; the outermost
scarcely so long as the calyx, the other but half as long.
The larger petal has sometimes a dorsal awn, when the plant
becomes A . canina o f Withering, not Linnaeus. When
dwarf it is A.pumila, of authors, and in that state varies with
or without an awn. Sometimes the corolla is elongated after
flowering, as in A . alba, t. 1 189. : uSoâ.Publùk'A try J a f Soiverby Lciiilc,