ch. vn] Botanical Description of Species 121 



1-1 1 inches long. The spikelets are ODe-flowered, on very short 

 branches, and densely imbricated in the panicle. There are usually 

 two pairs of empty glumes ; the outer pair very much compressed, 

 the keels white and almost winged, bordered by a broad green 

 line. The inner pair are smaller and lanceolate. The paleae are 

 acute, awnless, shining and more or less pubescent in the green 

 state. 



Pbleum pratense, L. (Timothy or Cat's-tail.) (Fig. 133.) 

 Abundant in Britain. See p. 157. 



A tufted perennial, most common on soils of a peaty or 

 tenacious character. The plant is entirely glabrous, and its stems 

 are generally more or less enlarged at the base, especially when 

 the soil is dry or hard. Sheaths split, the older ones of a pale 

 chocolate colour when decaying near the ground. Blades rolled 

 in the shoot, normally short, and acute; those on the culms 

 usually erect. Both sheath and blade are of a light-green colour ; 

 there is a slight keel to the blade, but none on the sheath. Auricles 

 absent. Ligule white, membranous, blunt, usually longer than 

 broad. 



Flowers in July or later; the culms vary much in height, but 

 are usually from \\ to 2J feet high. The nodes of the culm are 

 short and often of a deep violet hue. Tbe cylindrical spike-like 

 panicle varies in length from 1 to 6 inches, but is generally about 

 2 inches long. Spikelets numerous, one-flowered, and borne upon 

 very short branches. Glumes equal, broad and obtuse, each 

 with a prominent keel which terminates in a rough awn-like point 

 not half as long as the glumes. The glumes are covered with 

 very fine short hairs, and their keels are friDged with short, stiff, 

 white hairs. 



"Seeds" about 1-5 mm. long and 0-8 mm. broad. The palese 

 are silvery-white, thin, membranous, and finely nerved. The 

 caryopsis (naked grain) easily separates from the palese, and is 

 spherical-ovoid in shape, of a pale yellow-brown colour, and its 

 surface is finely reticulated. (Fig. 134.) 



Phleum alpinum, L. (Alpine Cat's-tail.) A perennial found 

 in the Highlands of Scotland. It is distinguished from other 

 British species of this genus by the glume awn-points which are 

 more than half the length of the glumes. 



