314 GEAMINACE.E. 



Ribbon-grass of our gardens. It is a useful Grass in its natural 

 habitat, for it binds together the loose sand and earth by the 

 river's side : thus forming a natural barrier against inundations. 

 Both these Grasses are tall ; the one I have just described 

 growing four feet high, and the Canaryseed attaining the 

 height of three feet. 



The Cat's-tail-grasses have two pointed glumes concealing 

 the blunt insignificant pales3. 



The common Cat's-tail (Phleum pratense), is frequent in 

 pastures and meadows. Its flowers are packed into a close 

 cylindrical spike, the stem rises to the height of a foot or a foot 

 and a half. It is not a very profitable meadow Grass, being 

 too thin and wiry, but it is excellent for permanent pasture. 



There are an Alpine Cat's-tail and a Rough Cat's-tail without 

 awns, and a Purple- stalked Cat's-tail ; but all these are rare 

 Grasses, and of no account to the farmer. . 



The Sea Cat's-tail (P. arenarium), is a minute Grass with a 

 tapering spike, hairy foliage, and glaucous tint. Fanny's speci- 

 men is from the shore at Weston-super-Mare. 



The Foxtail-grasses are characterised by two closely-drawn 

 glumes, one palea, with an awn rising from its base, and the two 

 styles combined at the bottom. The florets are arranged in cy- 

 lindrical spikes, in general appearance resembling the Cat's-tail. 



The Meadow Foxtail (Alopeciirus pratensis), is very valuable 

 in meadows, being exceedingly early, and very abundant in its 

 growth. 



The Slender Foxtail (A. agrestis), flowers later in the season, 

 and frequents corn fields and roadsides ; the stem is roughish, 

 and the spike very tapering. Both these species grow three 

 feet high. 



The Floating Foxtail (A. geniculatus), has its stem bent 

 at the joints ; it is a rough Grass, and of much lower growth 

 than the two already mentioned, though the length of its stem 

 depends a good deal on the depth of the water on which it 

 floats. It is a common Grass on the margin of pools. 



