120 THE GENERA AND THEIR SPECIES. 



hairy ; inner palea shorter than outer, toothed at apex, 

 hairy. 



This ornamental grass is said to be a native of the Canary 

 Isles, owing its introduction to its being used as a bird-seed, for 

 which purpose it is grown in the south-eastern counties, where it 

 is reaped like wheat and bound into sheaves. In Germany 

 weaver's paste is made from its flour. It is particularly distin- 

 guished as an impoverisher of the soil, the yield being less than 

 half in each succeeding year when no fertilisers are used. 



Phleum. Plates v. and vi. AGROSTIDE&. 

 Spike long and cylindrical. 



13. pratense 36 in. Timothy. Glumes truncate ; ligule thin, 



white, and toothed at apex. 



15. boehmeri 24 in. Purple Stalked Cat's-tail. Glumes 



tapering ; ligule broader than long. 



16. asperum 12 in. Rough Cat's-tail. Glumes wedge- 



shaped ; ligule tapering and prominent. 

 Spike short and fusiform. 



14. alpinitm 24 in. Alpine Cat's-tail. Glumes truncate ; 



ligule short and obtuse. 



17. arenarium 12 in. Seaside Cat's-tail. Glumes acute ; 



ligule lanceolate. 



13. P. pratense. Pastures ; Northern Hemisphere. June 

 and July. Root perennial, fibrous, somewhat creeping, reaching 

 sixteen inches in depth, rootstock short. Stem erect, smooth, 

 round ; base of shoots bulbous. Leaves rather broad, rigid, acute, 

 ribs low, blade rough downwards from point, rough upwards from 

 base, rising at an angle, not spreading horizontally, rolled in bud, 

 light green or glaucous. Sheaths nearly smooth, not tumid, 

 fibrous ; ligule thin, longer than broad, white, toothed at point, 

 hairless on back. Spike rough, cylindrical, green, compact, and 

 long. Spikelets with one floret, flat and crowded. Glumes equal, 

 silvery, keeled, broad, truncate, fringed on the keel, each with a 

 short rough awn of less than half the length of the glume. Outer 



