604 THE GRASS FAMILY. 



2. Rough Dog's-tail. Cynosurus echinatus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1333.) 

 An annual, much less stiiF than the last, with flaccid leaves. Spike ovoid 

 and less regular ; the glumes, both of the empty and of the flowering spike- 

 lets, all -ending in an awn at least as long as themselves. 



In fields and waste places, common in southern Europe and eastward to 

 the Caucasus, extending up the west of Europe to the Cliannel Islands. In 

 the main islands of Britain it only appears occasionally on tlft coasts, pro- 

 bably when introduced with ballast. Fl. summer. 



XXXIV. QUAKEGRASS. BRIZA. 



Spikelets several-flowered, flat, broad, and short, hanging (in the British 

 species) from the slender branches of a loose panicle. Glumes broad, con- 

 cave, but not keeled, obtuse, scarious on the edges, closely imbricated, and 

 spreading. 



A small genus, widely spread over the temperate regions of the noi'thern 

 hemisphere, some species extending also as weeds into the tropics and the 

 southern hemisphere. 



Perennial. Ligula of the leaves very short 1. Common Q. 



Annual. Liguia of the upper leaves 3 to 6 lines long 2. Lesser Q. 



The larger Q. (B. maxima), a south European species, with the spikelets 

 above half an inch long, has been frequently cultivated in our flower- 

 gardens. 



1. Common Quakegrass. Briza media^ Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 340.) 



An erect, rather stifi", but very elegant perennial, from near a foot to IJ- 

 feet high, with a tufted or slightly creeping stock. Leaves flat but narrow 

 and few, except at the base of tlie stem, their ligules very short. Panicle 

 2 to 4 inches long, very loose and spreading. Spikelets hanging from the 

 long, slender branches, at first orbicular, then ovate, 2 to 3 lines long, varie- 

 gated with green and purple, containing about 6 to 8 flowers. Glumes 

 all nearly similar, the outer pair empty, the upper ones gradually smaller. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, except 

 the extreme north. Common in the greater part of Britain, but becoming 

 scarce in the north of Scotland. FL early summer. 



2. Xiesser Quakegrass. Briza minor, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1316.) 



An erect annual, from 2 or 3 inches to near a foot high, with shorter and 

 broader leaves than the common Q., and much longer ligules. Panicle like 

 that of the common Q., but more branched and stiU more slender, tlie spike- 

 lets more numerous, smaller though rather broader in proportion, seldom 

 attaining 2 lines in length. 



In fields and waste places, in southern Europe, and eastward to the Cau- 

 casus, extending up the west coast of Europe to the English Channel. In 

 Britain, confined to the southern counties of England. Fl. smnmer, rather 

 early. 



