11 
ALOPECURUS AGRESTIS. 
Linnzevus. Wittpenow. SmirH. Martyn. Hooxrer anp Arnott. LeEeErs. 
Kwapp. ScHRADER. ScCHREBER. EnRHART. SINCLAIR. 
PLATE IV. 
Alopecurus myosuriodes, Hupson. Curtis. 
The Slender Fox-tail Grass. 
Alopecurus—Fox-tail. Agrestis—A. field. 
A USELESS agricultural Grass, indeed cattle refuse to feed upon 
it; when once it takes possession of a field it is difficult to 
eradicate, and causes much trouble to farmers when growing 
amongst wheat. It is perhaps better known under the name 
of “Black-bent.”” Where it flourishes it proclaims that the land 
is In a poor condition, for it grows most luxuriantly when the 
land is in that state. 
It appears almost confined to England, as it is rare and local 
in Scotland. Unknown in Ireland. It is common in the south 
of Europe, but does not extend north of latitude 56°. It has 
not been found in America. 
In England it is found in Devonshire, Somersetshire, Sussex, 
Surrey, Kent, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge, Bedford, 
Oxford, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Worces- 
tershire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland. 
Fields and way-sides. 
Panicle upright, slender, attenuated, compact, two or three 
inches long, deposited in short branches all round the rachis. 
Spikelets oval, consisting of one awned floret of an equal length 
with the calyx; compressed and numerous. Calyx consisting of 
