38 BRITISH SPECIES 
Hordeum maritimum, the Sea Barley or Squirrel-tail-grass, is 
confined to the shores of England and is more frequent in the 
south than in the north. Culms 6-12 inches, decumbent. Leaves 
rather narrow, tapering from base. Spike 1-2 inches long, pale 
green, ultimately brownish-yellow. As in the other wild barleys, 
the spikelets are disposed three in each notch of the rachis ; they 
are ¢-Linch long, 1-flowered ; the lateral spikelets contain a 
staminate flower, the central spikelet a bisexual one ; empty glumes 
scabrid, the inner one of the lateral spikelets half-ovate, the rest 
bristle-like, all terminating in an awn twice their length ; lateral 
flowering glumes with a short awn about their own length, central 
flowering glume with an awn nearly twice its length ; all the awns 
scabrid. Annual or biennial, flowering June to autumn. 
Gastridium lendigerum, the Awned Nit-grass, occurs locally in 
the southern half of England, and should be looked for in places 
that are occasionally flooded by rains or tides. Culms numerous, 
6-10 inches high. Leaves short and flat. Panicle spike-like, 
compact, lobed, pale green and glistening, ultimately straw-colour. 
Spikelets rather more than } inch long, I-flowered ; empty glumes 
both with a glossy swelling at the base—an unequivocal character ; 
the flowering glume is very much shorter than the empty ones, and 
has usually a slender subterminal awn. Annual, flowering June 
to September. 
Festuca uniglumis, the Single-glumed Fescue, is found sparingly 
on the coasts of the southern half of England and eastern Ireland ; 
unknown in Scotland. Culms 6-12 inches, tufted. Leaves very 
narrow, more or less involute. Spikelets about 4 inch long, 3- to 
6-flowered, on very short pedicels, forming a short, bristly panicle, 
resembling the spike of the barley-grasses, but unilateral. The 
minuteness or absence of the lower empty glume is a peculiarity 
of this species ; upper empty glume narrowed into a short awn ; 
flowering glumes with a terminal awn exceeding their own length. 
Annual, flowering in June. 
Cynodon dactylon, the Creeping Dogstooth-grass, grows spar- 
ingly along the coast from Dorset to Cornwall, and is perhaps 
most abundant in the neighbourhood of Penzance. Channel 
Islands. Stems prostrate and creeping extensively, rooting and 
sending up leafy shoots; leaves short, stiff, and more or less in- 
volute, Culms about 6 inches high. Spikes, four or five at the 
top of each culm, radiating like fingers, and about an inch long. 
Spikelets sessile, in two rows on each spike, 4; inch long, laterally 
compressed, purplish, each containing one flower and a rudiment 
above it; glumes awnless, the empty ones nearly equal. Peren- 
nial, flowering July, August. 
Corynephorus canescens, the Grey Hair-grass, is one of our 
rarities ; the only authentic localities for it being Lowestoft Denes, 
Suffolk ; Yarmouth Denes, Norfolk ; and shores of Jersey. Leaves 
in dense tufts, short, bristle-like. Culms about 6 inches high. 
Panicle with short branches, silvery white, and faintly tinged with 
green or purple. Spikelets 3 inch long, 2-flowered ; the flower- 
