CH. vn] Botanical Description of Species 



61 



A B 



Flowers throughout the summer. Fig ' 43 ' " Seed " 7 of 



Aira caryopnyllea, 

 L. x 10. A. Side 

 view, showing 

 position of awn. 

 B. Front view. 



glumes about 5 mm. long, equal, acute, united below, their keels 

 fringed with long silky hairs. Outer palea acute, bearing a sub- 

 dorsal (or almost basal) awn, projecting more 

 than half its length beyond the palea. Inner palea 

 wanting. The grain (caryopsis) is yellowish, 

 ovate, somewhat flattened, and often bears 

 remains of the stigma. (Fig. 45.) 



Alopecurus agrestis, L. (Slender Foxtail.) 

 (= A. myosuroides, Huds.) (Figs. 46 and 47.) 



A tufted annual, most common on stiff 

 cultivated soils, where it becomes a trouble- 

 some weed. 



It differs also from A. pratensis in the following 

 respects : the leaf-blades have acute ribs on 

 the upper surface; sheaths and flowering 

 culms rough, the latter 1 to 2 feet high; 

 the cylindrical panicles taper at each end, and are more slender 

 than those of A. pratensis. 



"Seeds" as in A. pratensis, but the empty glumes larger, about 

 6 mm. long, with the keels only slightly hairy ; caryopsis also 

 two or three times as large. (Fig. 48.) 



Alopecurus geniculatus, L. (Floating Foxtail.) (Figs. 49 and 

 50.) 



A semi-aquatic perennial, flowering about June. Culms 

 12-18 inches long, "kneed" at almost every node, and rooting 

 at the lower ones. Blades relatively short and broad. Ligule 

 long. Spikelets about half as long as those of A. praiensis. Empty 

 glumes Hunt, their keels fringed with hairs (Fig. 50). (A variety of 

 this species with the stems swollen near the ground known as var. 

 bulbosus is rare. A.fulvus Sm. and A. alpinus Sm. are also rare.) 



Anthoxanthum odoratum, L. (Sweet-scented Vernal- grass.) 

 (Fig. 51 B and C.) See also p. 138. 



A small perennial, forming compact tufts, and producing 

 culms from 12 to 18 inches high. Roots rather shallow. Sheaths 

 split, with very slight keel, somewhat striated, sparsely hairy 

 or glabrous. Blades thin, rolled in the shoot, of light or mid- 

 green colour; varying much in shape, usually broadest in the 

 middle and narrowing below; sub-acute apex. Ribs though 



