The sea-shore varieties are stiffer and more glaucous, the leaves more ribbed, involute and pointed—e.g. A. junceum, Beauv.
Agropyrum caninum, Beauv. (Bearded Wheat-grass). Tufted weed, not creeping, in woods, &c. Blade thinner and rougher beneath, but very variable. Properties similar to those of A. repens.
Agropyrum may be confused with Lolium (see p. [49]) and Agrostis (see p. [51]), but hardly with any other grass, and with these only because it is liable to be glabrous or nearly so on poor soil.
Elymus has much more pronounced ridges than the sea-shore varieties of Agropyrum.
(b) Base of blade with inconspicuous rounded ears. Leaves convolute. Ligule conspicuous.
Anthoxanthum odoratum, L. (Sweet Vernal-grass). Compact tuft. Common in pastures and hay, but it only forms a small proportion of the crop. One of the earliest grasses, and the principal one, which gives the scent to new-mown hay: a perfume has been extracted from it. Its value as fodder is probably overrated. Bitter tasted. Leaves more or less hairy at margins, especially at throat of sheath, flat, and slightly ridged. Sheath furrowed, often pubescent. Ligule long and blunt, with ciliate margins. Sweet scented when dried. The most shallow rooted of all meadow-grasses. Leaves often short and few.
Anthoxanthum is sometimes confused with Arrhenatherum (see p. [5]) and Molinia; the latter differs in its ligule—a tuft of hair—its stringy roots, tapering leaf-base, less obvious ridges, and smooth sheaths, &c.
Anthoxanthum is deep green and often very luxurious in rich wet soils—e.g. in Devonshire.
(c) Ears as mere collar-like ledges where the blade joins the sheath. Sheath usually pubescent or hispid with reflexed hairs. Ridges inconspicuous. Ligule very short.
✲ Perennial, with firmer leaves.
Hordeum sylvaticum, Huds. (Wood Barley). Leaves flat, thin but firm, rather broad, scaberulous. Sheath hispid, with reflexed hairs. Blade not tapering below. Translucent spaces between the veins as broad as the latter. Ligule short and blunt. Shady places. Useless.
Hordeum pratense, Huds. (Meadow Barley). Tufted, or bulbous below. Leaves narrower, flat, tending to roll up, scabrid above and hairy beneath. Sheath narrow, hairy. Moist meadows, and of some use as pasture in the young state.
✲✲ Annual, with thin dry leaves.
Hordeum murinum, L. (Wall Barley). Coarse tufts; leaves small, narrow, hairy or scabrid. Sheaths sparsely hispid, or very downy, inflated. Roads, &c. A useless weed.