ALOPECUHUS. 137 



guishes this species from A. geniculatus and A. fulvus ; 

 the smooth stem and sheaths separate it from A. agrestis ; 

 the length of the panicle precludes the possibility of con- 

 fusing it with A. alpinus ; and it cannot be confounded 

 with any Phleum because of the absence of paleae. 



It is a native of most parts of Europe, from Italy, 

 through France, Germany, Holland, Great Britain, to 

 Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and even Siberia, 

 It is also indigenous in America. 



There is a kind of larvse which prey upon the seed, 

 and often make such ravages as to tithe the seed in every 

 panicle in a meadow. It flowers in May or the begin- 

 ning of June, sometimes even earlier ; the seeds are ripe 

 in June and July. 



3. Alopecurus geniculatus, Linn. Marsh Foxtail. 



Root perennial, of long simple fibres ; stems ascending 

 and geniculated, or knee-jointed, smooth, striated, often 

 branched near the base ; joints smooth ; leaves flat, acute, 

 roughish, striated ; sheaths loose ; ligules oblong ; panicle 

 cylindrical, short, rather obtuse, many-flowered, purplish ; 

 spikelets numerous, flattened, ovate ; outer glumes equal, 

 membranous, ovate, pointed, united at the base, keels 

 fringed ; flowering glume shorter, with two green ribs, and 

 a slender awn from near its base ; filaments slender ; an- 

 thers large, thick, orange ; styles short, united ; stigmas 

 feathery ; awn long, slender, geniculated. 



The Marsh Foxtail is a frequent ornament of shallow 

 ponds and swampy places. It roots itself in the spongy 

 earth, and throws up its stems in a procumbent or 

 ascending position, as the case may be. If there be 

 much water on the spot it has selected as its home, the 



