80 TRIANDRI A— DIGYNI A. Alopecui us. 

 31. ALOPECURUS. Fox-tail-grass. 



Linn. Gen. 33. Juss. 29. Fl. Br. 72. Lam. t. 42. Gccrtn.tA. 



Cat. of 2, nearly equal, compressed, ovate-lanceolate, ribbed, 

 clasping, acute valves, mostly, but not in every instance, 

 combined at the base, containing a single floret. Cor. of 

 1 valve, rather shorter than the calyx, concave, ribbed, 

 pointless. Aivti from the base of the cor. and above 

 twice its length, roughish ; finally twisted and reflexed. 

 Filam. capillary. Anth. cloven at each end. Styles more 

 or less combined. Stigm, long, feathery, spreading. Seed 

 ovate, smooth, loose, covered with the corolla. 



Erect, decumbent, or floating grasses, mostly perennial. 

 Stem-leaves with long sheaths. Fl. numerous, apparently 

 spiked, but having simple or compound partial stalks. 

 Glumes particoloured, often downy. Awns prominent. 



1. A. pratensis. Meadow Fox-tail-grass. 



Stem erect, smooth. Spike somewhat panicled. Calyx- 

 glumes acute, hairy, combined at the base, shorter than 

 the awn of the corolla. 



A. pratensis. Linn. Sp. PI. 88. Willd. v. 1. 357. Fl. Br. 72. Engl 

 Bot. v. 1 1. t. 759. Hook. Scot. 2 1 . Curt. Lond. fasc. 5. t. 5. 

 Mart. Rust. t. 6. Knapp t. 14. Graves Br. Gr. t.2\. Schrad. 

 Germ. v. 1. I/O. Leers 15. t. 2.J. 4. Schreb. Gram. 133. t.\9. 

 /.I. Sincl. 13. 



A. n. 1539. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 248. 



Gramen alopecuro simile glabrum, cum pilis longiusculis in spica. 

 Rail Syn. 396. 



G. alopecuroides majus. Ger. Em. 10./. Moris, v. 3. 191. sect. 8. 

 L4./.8. 



G. myurum, spica molli candicante villosa. Scheuchz. Agr. 70. 



In meadows and pastures every where. 



Perennial. May. 



Root fibrous. Stems from \\ to 3 feet high, smooth, leafy. 

 Leaves a little glaucous, nearly smooth, flat ; upper ones more 

 rough, very short, with long, furrowed, slightly swelling sheaths. 

 Stipula short, obtuse, scarcely downy. Spike but partially 

 panicled, though most of the flowers are stalked, 2 inches long, 

 thick, soft, of a silky hoary aspect. Calyx-glumes combined at 

 the lower part. Cor. folded, nearly as long, with 5 green ribs, 

 and a prominent dorsal awn. Anth. prominent, yellow. Styles 

 entirely united. Stigm. separate, about as long, slender, fea- 

 thery. Seed ovate. 



An excellent grass for pasturage, being early, plentiful in produce, 

 and grateful to cattle in general. 



