21 



flowering stems, sterile leafy shoots, the preparations for the next 

 year's flowering. 



Phleum arenarium. Sea Cat's-tail Grass. Plate XVIII. 



Inflorescence spicate, ovate, or oblong and tapering above and 

 below. Glumes lanceolate-acuminate; keel ciliated above. Paleee 

 abrupt, about half the length of the glumes. 



Phleum arenarium, Linncms. E. B. ed. 2. 84. Chilochloa 

 arenaria, Schroder. Loudon, Hort. Brit. 27 ; Encycl. 58. 

 Phalaris arenaria, E. B. 233. Achnodon arenarius, lAndley. 



Far from unfrequent on loose sandy ground near the sea-side, 

 and often met with inland on barren sandy fields and heaths, as on 

 that of Newmarket. Stems about six or eight inches high, gene- 

 rally several from the same root. Flower-spike varying in length 

 from half an inch to one or two inches ; when short, often truly 

 ovate, otherwise fusiform or approaching even to cylindrical. 

 Glumes lanceolate, terminating gradually in a point, ciliated or 

 fringed about half-way down the keel. Palese very short, scarcely 

 half as long as the glumes, membranaceous, broad at the top, and 

 slightly notched. 



Annual, Flowers in June and July. 



Genus 8. LAGURUS. Hare's-tail Grass. 



Gen. Char. Inflorescence spike-like. Spikelets compressed, one- 

 flowered. Glumes two, equal, fringed with hairs, acuminated 

 into long feathery awn-like points. Outer palea terminating 

 in two long bristles, and furnished with a longer dorsal twisted 

 and knee-bent awn. 



Named from the Greek lagoos, a hare, and oura, a tail, in allusion 

 to the form and appearance of the inflorescence in the only known 

 species. 



Lagurus ovatus. Ovate Hare's-tail Grass. Plate XIX. 

 Inflorescence spicate, ovate, or ovato-cylindrical. 



Lagurus ovatus, Linmeus. E. B. 1334 j ed. 3. 90. Generally 

 adopted. 



Indigenous to the maritime countries of southern Europe, this 

 beautiful grass has long been naturalized on the sandy shores of 

 Guernsey, its only claim to admission into the British flora. The 

 stems rise to the height of six inches or a foot, and are smooth and 



