FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE SEA-SIDE 397 



seen on sandy coasts. Unlike the other species of the same genus, 

 its flowers form an erect spreading panicle, and the glumes are not 

 keeled. It is also taller than the common canary grass of waste 

 places, often reaching a height of three feet, 

 and is commonly known as the Eeed Canary 

 Grass. 



The Sea Cat's-tail Grass (Phleum are- 

 narium) is common on many coasts. It IF 



FIG. 279. Knappia 

 agrostidea 



FIG. 280. THE DOG'S- 

 TOOTH U-RASS 



FIG. 281. THE, BEED 

 CANARY GRASS 



much smaller than the common species of Cat's-tail, being generally 

 less than a foot high. The spike is of an elongated oval form, blunt 

 at the tip and narrow at the base ; and the glumes are narrow, 

 pointed at both ends, and fringed. Each spikelet has but one flower. 



In salt marshes we occasionally meet with the Perennial Beard 

 Grass (Polypogon littoralis), but it is somewhat rare. It has a 

 creeping root, and the flowers form a somewhat dense spike-like 

 panicle. The glumes have a slender awn. It grows to a height of 

 one to two feet, and flowers in July. 



The Tuberous Fox-tail Grass (Alopecurus bulbosus) is another 

 rare grass of the salt marshes, where it grows to the height of twelve 

 to sixteen inches, flowering in May and June. The genus to which 

 it belongs is very closely allied to Phleum, but may be distin- 

 guished by having only one pale to each flower, and this species has 

 a long awn attached to the back portion. The panicle, too, is 

 cylindrical and slender, the glumes quite free and abruptly pointed, 

 and the awns longer than the pales. 



The last of the sea-side grasses are two rare species of Cord 

 Grass (Spartina), both of which are found in salt marshes. In these 

 the inflorescence is a compound spike, with one-sided spikelets in- 

 serted in a double row. The glumes are keeled and pointed ; the pales 

 cleft, pointed and without awns ; and the styles two in number, 



