252 BRITISH GRASSES, 



Genus XXXTII. CYNOSURUS. DOG'S-TAIL. 



Gen. Char. Involucre pectinated; spikelets unilateral, 

 many-flowered, sessile ; outer glumes two ; flowering glumes 

 long, concave ; palese flat, awnless ; scales two, ovate, acute, 

 swollen at the base; filaments three, hair-shaped; anthers 

 oblong; ovary top-shaped; styles reflexed, hairy; stigmas 

 simple ; seed oblong, pointed. 



Cynosurus cristatus, Linn. Crested Dog's-tail. 



Root perennial, tufted, fibrous; stem cylindrical, upright, 

 smooth, finely ribbed, often wiry, nearly two feet high ; 

 joints several, small; leaves linear, acute, even-surfaced, flat, 

 rough on the inner surface, smooth and glossy behind; 

 sheaths cylindrical, striated, quite smooth, about five on the 

 stem ; iigule short, blunt, notched ; panicle spike-like, blunt, 

 stiff, straight, semicylindrical, green ; rachis rather zigzag, 

 smooth, angular ; ribbed branches very short ; spikelets alter- 

 nate, regular, all turned to one side, ovate, many-flowered, 

 on very short footstalks, with a beautiful pectinated invo- 

 lucre ; outer glumes linear, acute, keeled, the keels rough ; 

 flowering glume longer than the outer ones, ovate-lanceo- 

 late, faintly five-ribbed, and tipped with a very short awn ; 

 palea transparent, fringed at the edges. 



This is a very valuable pasture-grass prevailing in 

 dry hilly situations and upon the downs, abundant all 

 all over Britain. The stems are too hard and tough, 

 when dry, to please the taste of cattle, so this is better 

 as a pasture than as a meadow grass. When in flower 

 the whole plant is succulent and nutritious, and cattle 

 are very fond of it, especially sheep and deer. It in- 

 creases in its nutritious qualities till the seed is ripe, 

 when it is at its best. Mr. Sinclair recommends its 

 introduction into irrigated meadows, and all pastures 



