GRAMINEjE 229 



P. minor Rctz. Panicle spike-like, oblong. Glumes acuminate. Wing 

 narrow, jagged. Outer barren floret a minute fleshy scale, inner one membranous, 

 half as long as the villous pale. Plant annual, 1-2 ft. high. 



Sandy and grassy places, uncommon. May-June. 



P. paradoxa L. Raceme spike-like, obovate-cylindric ; middle and upper 

 branches somewhat cymose. Small, blunt, neutral spikelets mixed with the 

 others at the base of the spike. Annual, 1-2 ft. high. Stem leafy to the top. 



Cultivated fields. April-June. 



P. brachystachys Lk. Spike ovoid. Glumes acute. Wing entire. 

 Neutral florets 2, very small, ovate, membranous. 

 Fields and uncultivated places. May-June. 



P. canariensis L. Canary Grass. This well-known grass, imported from 

 the Canary Isles and N. Africa, and cultivated to feed birds with, occurs here 

 and there in a " wild " state. The panicle is ovoid. Wing rounded, nearly 

 entire. Neutral florets 2, nearly equal, more than half as long as the fertile 

 ones. 



Sandy fields. May-June. Annual. 



CRYPSIS Ait. 



Spikelets scattered, i-flowered, in a small dense head, which is usually included 

 in a common involucrum. Glumes membranous, unarmed. Fertile glume, 

 entire, membranous, unarmed, as long as the glumes. 



C. aculeata Ait. A small annual, usually glabrous, with spreading, com- 

 pressed branches and glaucous acuminate leaves with large sheath. Upper glume 

 i-nerved. Stamens 2. Heads hemispherical, involucrate. 



Marshy coasts, uncommon. July-September. 



C. schcenoides Lam. A small annual with simple or branched compressed 

 stems, and glaucous acuminate leaves less broadly sheathed than the last. 

 Heads ovoid-oblong, sheathed at base. Upper glume 2-nerved. Stamens 3. 



Sandy, marshy places and ditches, uncommon. July-September. 



PHLEUM L. CAT'S-TAIL GRASS. 



Glumes compressed, keeled, parallel at midrib, truncate, with a terminal 

 seta, or acute. Flower i. Pale membranous ; fertile glume 3-veined, blunt, not 

 awned or with a minute central awn. The following species occur : 

 P. arenarium L., P. tenue Schrader, P. asperum Jacq., P. Bfehmeri 

 Wibel, and P. pratense L. (Timothy Grass). 



ALOPECURUS L. FOX-TAIL GRASS. 



Glumes compressed, connate below, membranous, awnless. Flower i. Pale o. 

 Fertile glume scarious, 3-veined, awned on the back. The following occur : A. 

 agrestis L., A. pratensis L. (Meadow Fox-tail), A. bulbosus L., and A. 

 geniculatus L. 



SESLERIA Scop. 



Spikelets sessile, imbricate all round, 2-6 flowered in a dense ovoid head. 

 Glumes nearly equalling the spikelet. Fertile glumes 2-3, keeled, membranous, 

 with a scarious margin, ending in 3 or 5 points. Pale 2-keeled. Stamens 3. 



S. argentea Savi. grows rarely in rocky places, and S. caerulea Ard. grows 

 in arid, rocky places, as on Faron, Sainte-Baume, Chateaudouble, etc. 



ECHINARIA Desf. 



Spikelets sessile, in a spiny, globose head. Florets i or 2, the second 

 generally barren. Fertile glume ending in several long rigid bristles. Head 

 with a laciniate involucrum. 



E. capitata Desf. An erect annual, 4-12 in. high. Leaves short, very 

 obtuse. Heads globular, dense, spiny. Spikelets subsessile, compressed 



