_a_) Panicle short, contracted and tuft-like, owing to the shortness and stiffness of most of the stalks and their tendency to remain erect, at least until anthesis. Glumes keeled and ending in a point. (i) _Panicle with a few branches, at first erect, ending in tuft-like secund clusters. Spikelets harsh, with 3-5 flowers. Coarse meadow-grass._ _Dactylis glomerata_, L. Not easily confounded with any other grass if attention is paid to the folded coarse leaves, the tufted perennial habit, and the harsh inflorescence, the glumes on the spikelets being stiffly hairy on the keel. (ii) _Panicle contracted, more or less ovoid or cylindroid, but most of the spikelets stalked, and not aggregated into dense clusters, spikelets silvery, containing 2-3 flowers._ _Kœleria cristata_, Pers. Any resemblances to forms of _Aira_ are at once nullified by the absence of true awns in _Kœleria_. _Festuca_ and _Poa_ have more numerous flowers in the spikelet. _Anthoxanthum_ has only one flower, with two stamens, in the spikelets. _Phleum_ and _Alopecurus_ present resemblances, but see pp. 101 and 102. (_b_) Panicle elongated and lax--i.e. all or most of the spikelets on distinct slender stalks, longer than themselves. (i) _Panicle close: the spikelets on distinct and even long stalks, but the latter erect and keeping the spikelets near the main axis._ In some cases the stalks from the main axis bear only one spikelet each and the type of inflorescence is that of a raceme; usually, however, one or more of the lowermost stalks branch and disclose the panicle. * Panicle with few simple branches, racemous, each spikelet large and containing about four flowers, palea three-toothed at the apex. A small heath-grass, with hairs at the ligule. _Triodia decumbens_, Beauv. The inflorescence may have some resemblance to _Melica_ (see p. 105), but the four-flowered spikelet, ligule, habitat and stature distinguish it at once. ** Panicle with divided branches, which are more or less erect. † Spikelets awnless. ⊙ _Spikelets small, purplish, with two or at most three florets; the upper on a stalk. Coarse moor-grass._ _Molinia cærulea_, Mœnch. ⊙⊙ _Spikelets with six or more florets._ ‡ _Tall aquatic grass with long, lax, narrow panicle and spikelets, somewhat nodding, and with 8-20 flowers in each._ _Glyceria fluitans_, Br. The only similar grass is _Glyceria aquatica_, Sm. which differs in its more reed-like habit, open panicle, and fewer flowers.