TRIANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Alopecurus. 79 



Annual. Mmj. 



Root of many long, simple, partly downy, fibres. Stems several, 

 e.Kcept in a starved state, 3 — 6 inches liigh ; leafy below ■ naked 

 and purplish above. Upper leaf very short, with a long, rather 

 swelling, sheath. Stipula lanceolate. Spike thick and short, 

 variegated with green and white, narrow at the base. Inner 

 margin of the calyx often a little abrupt. The very short, ribbed, 

 abrupt, crenate outer glume of the corolla characterizes this 

 very distinct species. The whole plant is somewhat glaucous, 

 and after flowering remains long bleached, and often blown 

 about, on the sand. Professor Hooker's reference to Scheuchzer 

 should be 63, not 68, and belongs to Plukenet's synonym. 



31. ALOPECURUS. Fox- tail-grass. 



Linn. Gen. 33. Juss. 29. Fl. Br. 72. Lam. t.42. Gcertn. t.\. 



Cal. of 2, nearly equal, compressed, ovate-lanceolate, ribbed, 

 clasping, acute valves, mostly, but not in every instance, 

 combined at the base, containing a single floret. Co7: of 

 1 valve, rather shorter than the calyx, concave, ribbed, 

 pointless. Awn from the base of the cor. and above 

 twice its length, roughish; finally twisted and reflexed. 

 Filam. capillary. Aiith. cloven at each end. Styles more 

 or less combined. Stigm. long, feathery, spreading. Seed 

 ovate, smooth, loose, covered with the corolla. 



Erect, decumbent, or floating grasses, mostly perennial. 

 Stem-leaves with long sheaths. Fl. numerous, apparently 

 spiked, but having simple or compound partial stalks. 

 Glumes particoloured, often downy. Awiis prominent. 



1. K.pratensis. Meadow Fox-tail-grass. 



Stem erect, smooth. Spike somewhat panicled. Calyx- 

 glumes acute, hairy, combined at the base, shorter than 

 the awn of the corolla. 



A. pratensis. Linn. Sp. PI. 88. Willd. v. I. 357. Fl. Br. 72. Engl. 



Bot. V. 11. t. 759. Hook. Scot. 21. Curt. Land, fasc.5. t.5. 



Mart. Rust. t. 6. Knapp t. 14. Graves Br. Gr. ^21. Schrad. 



Germ., v. 1. 170. Leers 15. t.2.f.4. Schreb. Gram. 133. t. 19. 

 /. 1. Sincl. 13. 

 A. n. 1539. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 248. 

 Gramen alopecuro simile glabrum, cum pilis longiusculis in spica. 



Raii Syn. 396. 

 G. alopecuroides majus. Ger. Em. 10./. Moris, v. 3. 191. sect.S. 



t.4.f.8. 

 G. myurum, spica moUi candicante villosa. Scheuchz. Agr. 70. 

 In meadows and pastures every where. 



