ALOPECURUS PRATEN8I8. 



ALOPECURUS PRATENSIS. 



LINNAEUS. PARNELL. SCHREBER. HOOKER AND ARNOTT. KOCH. LEERS. 



GREVILLE. CURTIS. SINCLAIR. LINDLEY. SMITH. KNAPP. 

 HUDSON. SCHRADER. WITHERING. WILLDENOW. MARTYN. GRAVES. 



PLATE III. A. 

 Gramen alopecuroides majus, MORISON. GERARDE. 



The Meadow Fox-tail Grass. 

 Alopecurus Fox-tail, (from the Greek.) Pratensis Meadow. 



ALOPECURUS. Linnaeus. Inflorescence a thick, close-set panicle, which 

 is spiked. The spikelets are laterally compressed, Two almost equal glumes, 

 their base mostly connate ; membranaceous, and of the same length as the 

 floret. A solitary glumella, having a dorsal awn above the base. 



ONE of the most valuable agricultural Grasses; cattle are exceed- 

 ingly fond of it, and being good in quality, and an early species. 

 It flourishes best in meadows which have been drained, on a rich 

 clayey soil. 



Exceedingly common in Great Britain, and is found also in Eussia, 

 Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Lapland, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, 

 and America. In the latter country it is however supposed to have 

 been introduced. 



Panicle upright, varying from an inch to two inches long, nearly 

 cylindrical in form, having small branches arranged all round the rachis. 

 Spikelets ovate in form, erect, imbricated, numerous. Calyx consisting 

 of two equal-length glumes, acute and jointed at the base, pale green 

 lateral ribs and keels, which are fringed. Floret consisting of a solitary 

 ovate-oblong palea, with two green ribs on either side; having a 

 lengthened slender dorsal awn arising almost immediately above the 

 base. Upper portion of the keel hairy. Anthers conspicuous, yellow 



