File:The British grasses and sedges (1858) (14760830581).jpg

Identifier: britishgrassesse00prat (find matches)
Title: The British grasses and sedges
Year: 1858 (1850s)
Authors: Pratt, Anne, 1806-1893
Subjects: Botany Grasses
Publisher: London, Society for promoting Christian knowledge
Contributing Library: University of British Columbia Library
Digitizing Sponsor: University of British Columbia Library

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o a great length in the water, at others, growing ouwet banks, when it becomes much smaller, and hasa stem but a few inches high. The panicle of thisWhorl-grass is composed of a large number of smallspikelets, bluish, or often brownish green, on veryslender branchlets; the stem is stout, and one or twofeet long, bending at the base, and sending out roots.The leaves are broad, blunt, and bright green; andthe flowers, which appear in May and June, have asweet flavour; the whole plant having more or lessof a sweetish taste. Water-fowls are fond of its youngleaves and shoots, while cattle relish it so much, thatwere the grass not an aquatic, it would doubtless becultivated for their pasturage. It is said to contributeto the excellence of the Cambridge butter and the Cot-tenham cheese. Curtis remarks of it, that no less thanfive species of flies (mi(.sc(c) were produced from a fewhandfuls of its seeds, among wliicli they had, no doubt,hybernated in the chrysalis state. (Plate 254, fig. 4.)
Text Appearing After Image:
I . rillVKV H/\MX OWAS3. Airs, rspspilosa BRITISH GRASSES AND SEDGES. 73 10. AiRA (Ilair-grass). 1. A. ccespitosa (Tufted Hair-grass).—P«;nc/^ spread-ing, branches rough; (flumes slightly rough at the niid-ril); men inserted near the base of the outer glumella,and scarcely extending beyond its summit. There is avariety of this grass, brevifolia, with short leaves andsmaller panicle; and another with longer awns, termed/o)u/i arisfata. This is a common and very pretty grass,with a perennial root ;*and it is found in abundance onfield-borders, and especially on moist moory ground,where it flowers, in June and July, among Spearwortsand other marsh flowTrs, and thick green mosses. Onsuch spots, especially if shaded by furze and brambles,it attains great luxuriance; but when the land is drained,it soon disappears; and when we see it, as we often do,growing with the different species of Sedge (Carex),and with the roughish Meadow-grass, we have sureindication that the land is not in good

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