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Illustrated Descriptions of the 

 Foxtail is exceedingly hardy, thriving on all soils but the 

 and after the early growth of May and June it yields 

 luxuriant aftermath. 



Common in low meadows and along 

 shallow streams is the Marsh Foxtail, 

 {Alopeciirus geniculatus ,) a widely dis- 

 tributed grass of rich, dark-green colour. 

 A more slender plant than Meadow 

 Foxtail, it bears shorter spikes and spike- 

 lets, while there is an important differ- 

 ence in the empty scales of the two 

 species, those of Marsh Foxtail being not 

 only much shorter but also quite obtuse. 

 The slender stems, bending and spread- 

 ing at the base, are sparingly branched, 

 and it will be noticed that the upper leaf 

 is as long as its sheath, as is seldom the 

 case in Meadow Foxtail. 



Meadow Foxtail. Alopeciirus praiensis L. 



Perennial, with short rootstocks. Naturalized 



from Europe. 



Stem 1-3 ft. tall, erect, not branched. Sheaths loose. 

 Ligule very short. Leaves i '-4' long, i "-3" wide, 

 flat, rough or nearly smooth. 



Spike (spike-like panicle) i '-4' long, cylindrical, green, 

 densely flowered, 4"-6" in diameter. Spikelets 

 i-flowered, compressed, 2"-^" long. Scales 3; 

 outer scales acute, equal, united at the base, 

 hairy on the keels; flowering scales nearly as long 

 as empty scales, thin and translucent, obtuse, 

 bearing a slender, dorsal awn about 3" long; palet 

 often lacking. Stamens 3. Stigmas long. 



Fields and meadows. May to July. 



Labrador to southern New York, Ohio, and Michigan, 

 also in Oregon and California. 



THE DROPSEED GRASSES 



GAUZE-GRASS, SHEATHED RUSH-GRASS, SMALL 



RUSH-GRASS, LONG-LEAVED RUSH-GRASS, SAND 



DROPSEED, AND NORTHERN DROPSEED 



The common species of this genus are very 

 dissimilar in appearance: the panicle of Gauge- 



113 



Grasses 



driest, 

 later a 



Meadow Foxtail 

 Alopeciirus pratinsis 



