96 



Channel Islands. Grows in tufts from a fibrous root, sending up erect, 

 smooth, slender stems, varying from two or three inches to a foot in 

 height. Leaves flat, acute, roughish ; shorter and broader than those 

 of Briza media. Ligule very long, lanceolate acuminate. Panicle 

 much branched and spreading ; branches very slender, roughish. 

 Spikelets smaller than those of the last species, and generally more 

 numerous, pale green variegated with white, compressed, triangular. 

 Glumes as long as, or sometimes longer, than the lowermost flower, 

 having, as well as the palese, membranaceous and whitish margins. 

 Lower palea broad, obtuse, or roundish-heart-shaped, very strikingly 

 gibbous on the back, cartilaginous ; upper one small, thin, flat. 



Annual. Flowers in June and July. 



Southern Europe, and the basins of the Euxine and Mediterranean, 

 appear to constitute the natural geographical limits of this grass. 

 Although met with occasionally far inland, as in Switzerland and 

 Southern Germany, it is a plant of maritime habitats, of which the 

 shores of the English Channel seem at present to be the boundary 

 northward. 



Genus 33. DACTYLIS. Cock's-foot Grass. 



Gen. Char. Inflorescence paniculate. Panicle with the secondary 

 branches short and crowded ; subunilateral. Spikelets in dense 

 clusters, compressed, three- to five-flowered. Glumes two, un- 

 equal, shorter than the spikelet ; the lower one keeled. Paleaa 

 two ; the lower one lanceolate, compressed, keeled, five-veined, 

 the dorsal vein ciliated or fringed, and extending just below the 

 apex as a short awn ; upper one membranaceous, equalling the 

 lower one in size, minutely fringed or ciliated on the margins. 



Named from the Greek dactylos, a finger, in allusion to the dense 

 round-topped bunches of spikelets of Dactylis glomerata, which bear 

 a fanciful resemblance to the end of a finger. 



A genus of uncertain limits, so nearly approaching Festuca, and 

 perhaps Poa, in floral structure, as to be scarcely separable, unless by 

 peculiarity of habit. 



Dactylis glomerata. Clustered or Rough Cock's-foot Grass. 

 Plate LXXIX. 



Panicle distantly branched. Spikelets forming ovate clusters di- 

 rected to one side. Leaves linear, flat, rough on the margins. Stem 

 erect. Root tufted. 



Dactylis glomerata, Linnwus. E. B. 33.5 ; ed. 2. 138. Generally 

 adopted. 



A very common species, growing in almost all soils and situations, 

 in meadows, woods, and by road-sides. A coarse grass, forming com- 



