HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 319 



It appears a spike, until pressed by the fingers ; it then proves to 

 be a panicle. 



It flowers in July, and the seed is ripe in the beginning of 

 September. 



FESTUCA alopecuriis. Foxtail-like Fescue-grass. 



Bromus alopecunts. Donn's Catalogue. 



Specific character : Spike erect, attenuated ; calyx-valves very 

 unequal, outer large, three-nerved, acuminate, inner very 

 minute, awl-shaped ; corolla, outer valve awned, largely 

 ciliate at the edges ; inner, two-ribbed, slightly ciliate on 

 the ribs. 



Obs. — I received the seeds of this grass from Mr. Donn, 

 and there is therefore no doubt of its being the Bromus 

 alopecurus of the Cambridge Catalogue. It proves to be a 

 Festuca. Culms smooth, upright; leaves linear, channelled, 

 or doubled together like those of the Avena pratensis, and 

 like them, slightly glaucous, smooth ; sheath smooth, fur- 

 rowed, sheath-scale minute, lacerated ; spike mostly facing 

 one way, upright; calyx 10-flowered, terminating floret 

 barren ; larger valve of the blossom furnished with long, 

 straight, flat-lying hairs at the edges, which distinguish 

 it from every other species of fescue with which I am ac- 

 quainted. The long, linear, channelled, smooth, glaucous 

 leaves distinguish it at first sight from the different annual 

 species of fescue, or brome-grass. Hort. Gram. Fol. 209; 

 R. S. Linn. Sys. Veg. ii. p. 727. 



Native of Barbary. Root annual. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from a light 

 siliceous sandy soil is — 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. lbs. 



Grass, 12 oz. The produce per acre ° - 8167 8 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 32 ^ • . 



The produce of the space, ditto - 76 3^5 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 5543 6 

 64 dr. of grass aflbrd of nutritive matter 2 2 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 7 2 



If the above details of produce and nutritive powers of this 

 annual fescue be compared with those of the soft brome-grass, 

 many-flowered brome-grass, and others of the annual indigenous 



I 319 



