GRASSES OF BRITAIN. 155 



Ohs. — Tills species is readily distinguished from every other Bri- 

 tish grass, by the sheaths having no ligules, and the spikelets having 

 long smooth hairs or bristles at their base. (See Fig. 2.) 



This is a strong coarse grass, found in moist arable land, but of 

 no agricultural use. It is very rarely met with in Britain, having 

 been gathered only in a few instances in the counties of Hants and 

 Surrey ; and although it has been placed among our British plants 

 I do not consider it as indigenous to this country. It is a native of 

 Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, 

 Italy, North Africa, and the United States. 



Flowers in August, and ripens its seed in the end of September. 



The accompanying figure was taken from a specimen gathered in 

 Surrey. 



Explanation of Plate LXVII. Echinochloa Crus-galli, natural 



Fig. 1. Spikelet expanded showing the two glumes and two florets with three "j 



long hairs at the base. j -i 



2. Two very unequal glumes with three long hairs at the base. I :■= 



3. Lowermost floret showing the two pales, the outer with a long awn. f ^ 



4. Upper floret showing both paleae pointed or shortly awned. I ^ 



5. Ovarium, pistils, and stamens. J 



