488 GRAMINEjE. [Cynosurus. 



31. CYNOSURUS, L. Dog's-tail Grass. 



Spikelets dimorphous, in dense spike-like panicle ; terminal spikelet of 

 each fascicle terete 2-5-fld. with an upper flowerless glume, lower spikelets 

 reduced to an involucre of pectinately arranged distichous rigid subulate 

 empty glumes surmounting the terminal. Empty glumes 2, shorter than 

 the lowest fl. glume, unequal, rigid. Fl. glumes terete, 3-keeled, nerved, 

 mucronate, coriaceous, opaque. Palea with 2 ciliate nerves. Scales with 

 a basal lobe. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous ; styles short terminal, stigmas 

 feathery. Fruit adherent to the fl. glume and palea. — Distrib. N. temp, 

 regions ; species 3 or 4. — Etym. kv6v and ovpd, dog's tail. 



1. C. crista' tus, L. ; spike linear unilateral, fl. glumes shortly awned. 

 Dry pastures and banks, N. to Shetland ; ascends to 1,800 ft. in N. England ; 



Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. July-Aug — Perennial, tufted, stoloniferous. 

 Stems 1-2 ft., terete, strict, smooth, naked above. Leaves almost filiform, 

 slightly hairy; sheaths smooth; ligule 2-fid. Spike 1-2 in., strict, rigid ; 

 rachis flexuous ; spikelets ^ in., sessile between 6-10 rigid scabrid serru- 

 late concave glumes, and as long as these ; empty glumes cuspidate ; fl. 

 glumes scabrid above, obscurely 3-nerved. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa. 



2. C. echina'tus, L. ; panicle dense, awn equalling the fl. glume. 

 Sandy seashores, Channel Islands ; introduced on the British coasts ; casual 



in Ireland ; fl. July. — Annual ; larger and more robust than C. crista' tus ; 

 leaves broad, flat; panicle |-1§ in., ovoid, lobed, squarrose, shining, 

 branches § in., pectinate ; segments of branches J-| in., subulate, slender, 

 scarious, scaberulous ; spikelets fewer on each branch, \ in. Empty glumes 

 hyaline; fl. glumes green.— Distrib. Mid. and S. Europe, N. Africa, 

 W. Asia. 



32. KOELERIA, Pers. 



Spikelets oblong, compressed, in a contracted spike-like panicle, 2-5-fld. ; 

 rachilla jointed between the fl. glumes, terminated by 2-3 empty glumes. 

 Empty glumes 2, rather shorter than the flowering, unequal, narrow, com- 

 pressed, keeled, membranous ; lower 1- upper 3-nerved. Fl. glumes 

 secund, rather close, membranous, acuminate, obscurely keeled, 5-nerved 

 at the base, lowest sessile. Palea 2-fid. Scales 2, oblique. Stamens 3. 

 Ovary glabrous ; styles terminal, short, stigmas feathery. Fruit almost 

 linear, plano-convex, free. — Distrib. Temp, regions ; species 12. — 

 Etym. G. L. Koeler, a German writer on grasses. 



K. crista'ta, Pers. ; panicle silvery interrupted below. 

 Banks and pastures, N. to Caithness ; ascends to 1,800 ft. in Yorkshire ; 

 Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-July. — Perennial, pubescent or silky, 

 pale green. Root fibrous, stoloniferous. Stems 1-3 ft., slender. Leaves 

 narrow, glabrous beneath, soon involute ; sheaths striate ; ligule 0. Panicle 

 1-4 in., linear-oblong or lanceolate ; branches 2-3-nate, very short. Spikelets 

 \ in., shining, pale green ; empty glumes oblong-lanceolate, acute, broadly 

 hyaline, glabrous pubescent or scabrid ; keel minutely scaberulous ; rachis 



