12 ALOPECURUS AGRESTIS. 
two acute membranous glumes of the same length, joined near 
the base; keels hirsute, and having two green smooth ribs on 
each side. Floret of one palea, ovate-oblong, and having two 
green ribs on each side. Awn lengthy, slender, commencing 
slightly above the base of the palea, and extending considerably 
beyond it. 
Filaments three in number, slender. Anthers protruding, each 
end notched. Styles united and short. Stigmas long, downy, 
and two in number. Stem circular, upright, slender, rough, 
bearing three or four leaves, with rough, striated, swollen sheaths, 
upper sheath carrying at its apex a blunt downy ligule, and 
being longer than its leaf. Joints smooth. Leaves flat, rough, 
striated, and acute. Inflorescence simple, panicled. Length from 
one to two feet. Root small, fibrous, annual. 
This species is easily known by its attenuated panicles, which 
are often purplish in colour; and by the rough stem and sheaths, 
and the long dorsal awn. 
Dr. Parnell mentions that it can be recognised from A. pra- 
tensis in the slenderness of the panicle, in the spikelets being 
larger, the ligules considerably longer, the roughness of the 
stem and sheaths, and in the keels of the calyx being but 
slightly hairy; whilst in A. pratensis the ligule is short and 
blunt, keels of calyx and lateral ribs having long hairs, and 
the stem and sheaths being quite smooth. In A. geniculatus 
the stem and sheaths are also smooth, the awns shorter, the 
spikelets less, ligule shorter, calyx less acute and different in 
shape, and the panicle not so tapering. In A. fulvus the stem 
and sheaths are smooth, the panicle less tapering, spikelets less, 
ligule shorter. 
Flowers in the first week in July, and ripens its seeds in 
October. 
My thanks are due to Mr. Joseph Sidebotham, of Manchester, 
and to Dr. Wilson for good specimens of this Grass. 
The illustration is from Dr. Wilson’s specimen. 
