12 ALOPECURUS AGRESTIS. 



two acute membranous glumes of the same length, joined near 

 the base; keels hirsute, and having two green smooth ribs on 

 each side. Floret of one palea, ovate -oblong, and having two 

 green ribs on each side. Awn lengthy, slender, commencing 

 slightly above the base of the palea, and extending considerably 

 beyond it. 



Filaments three in number, slender. Anthers protruding, each 

 end notched. Styles united and short. Stigmas long, downy, 

 and two in number. Stem circular, upright, slender, rough, 

 bearing three or four leaves, with rough, striated, swollen sheaths, 

 upper sheath carrying at its apex a blunt downy ligule, and 

 being longer than its leaf. Joints smooth. Leaves flat, rough, 

 striated, and acute. Inflorescence simple, panicled. Length from 

 one to two feet. Root small, fibrous, annual. 



This species is easily known by its attenuated panicles, which 

 are often purplish in colour; and by the rough stem and sheaths, 

 and the long dorsal awn. 



Dr. Parnell mentions that it can be recognised from A. pra- 

 tensis in the slenderness of the panicle, in the spikelets being 

 larger, the ligules considerably longer, the roughness of the 

 stem and sheaths, and in the keels of the calyx being but 

 slightly hairy; whilst in A. pratensis the ligule is short and 

 blunt, keels of calyx and lateral ribs having long hairs, and 

 the stem and sheaths being quite smooth. In A. geniculatus 

 the stem and sheaths are also smooth, the awns shorter, the 

 spikelets less, ligule shorter, calyx less acute and different in 

 shape, and the panicle not so tapering. In A. fulmis the stem 

 and sheaths are smooth, the panicle less tapering, spikelets less, 

 ligule shorter. 



Flowers in the first week in July, and ripens its seeds in 

 October. 



My thanks are due to Mr. Joseph Sidebotham, of Manchester, 

 and to Dr. Wilson for good specimens of this Grass. 



The illustration is from Dr. Wilson's specimen. 



