geaminEjE. 581 



spike like panicle. Outer glumes boat-shaped, with a prominent keel, but 

 not awned. Flowering glume shorter, with a very slender awn inserted on 

 the back (sometimes concealed under the outer glumes). Palea entirely 

 wanting. 



A small genus, widely spread over the temperate and colder regions of 

 both the northern and southern hemispheres, resembhng Phlewm in habit, 

 but easily distinguished by the absence of the palea. 



Annual. Outer glumes 3 lines long, united to the middle, glabrous or 



nearly so 1. Slender F, \ 



Perennials or rarely annuals. Outer glumes less than 3 lines, free or 

 united at the base only ; the keel hairy. 

 Spikes long. Awns more or less prominent. 

 Stem erect or nearly so. Glumes lanceolate, about 2 lines. Awns 



twice as long 2. Meadow F. 



Stems procumbent at the base. Glumes not \\ Unes. Awns not 



twice as long 3. Marsh F. 



Spikes short. Awns scarcely exceeding the outer glumes 4. Alpine F. 



1. Slender Foxtail. Alopecurus agrestis, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 848.) 



An annual, 1 to 2 feet high, erect or slightly decumbent at the base. 

 Leaves rather short, with long, not very loose sheatlis. Spike 2 to 3 inches 

 long, thinner and more pointed than in the other species ; the spikelets 

 fewer, longer (about 3 lines), not so flat nor so closely imbricated, and 

 usually quite glabrous ; the 2 outer glumes united to about the middle, the 

 hair-like awn of the flowering one projecting 2 or 3 hnes beyond them. 



In waste places, on roadsides, etc., in central and southern Europe and 

 across Russian Asia, extending northward to southern Scandinavia. In 

 Britain, frequent in the south of England, decreasing northwards ; in Scot- 

 land only when accidentally introduced, and not mentioned in the Irish 

 Flora. Fl. the tvhole season. 



2. Meado'w Foxtail. Alopecurus pratensis, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 759.) 



Eootstoek perennial and shortly creeping, tlie stems erect or scarcely 

 decumbent at the base, 1 to 2 feet high. Sheaths of the upper leaves rather 

 loose. Spike 2 to 3 inches long, very dense, rather obtuse ; the spikelets very 

 numerous and flat, 2 to nearly 3 lines long. Outer glumes free or scarcely 

 united at the base, with short hairs on the keel, which give to the spike a 

 soft, hairy aspect. The hair-Uke awns project 2 to 4 lines beyond the outer 

 glumes. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and central and Eussian 

 Asia from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and naturahzed in several 

 parts of the globe. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring and summer. 



3. IVIarsh Foxtail. Alopecurus geniculatus, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1250.) 

 A perennial like the meadow F., or sometimes annual. Stem usually 

 procumbent at the base, bending upwards at the lower nodes. Sheaths of 

 the upper leaves rather loose. Spike 1 to 2 inches long, closely imbricated 

 Hke that of the meadow F., but more slender, with much smaller spikelets. 

 Outer glumes hairy on the keel, not so pointed as in the meadow F., and 

 scarcely above a hue long, tlie hair-like awns not projecting above a lino 

 beyond them. 



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