42 BRITISH SPECIES 
going species ; rachis prolonged beyond the uppermost spikelet for 
about half an inch. Spikelets numerous ; empty glumes smooth. 
An intermediate form, S. Zowmnsendzz, occurs on the mudflats at 
Hythe, Hants. It has several spikes on each stem ; leaves jointed 
to the sheaths and shorter than the spikes; rachis produced beyond 
the uppermost spikelet ; empty glumes slightly downy. These are 
rigid grasses, more or less submerged, with a rancid odour. 
Polypogon monspeliensis, the Annual Beard-grass, is met with 
but rarely on the south and east coasts of England. Culms tufted, 
1-3 feet. Leaves flat, with very scabrid ribs. Panicle spikelike, 
1-6 inches long, dense, slightly lobed, pale greenish-yellow, and 
silky. Spikelets 2, inch long, I-flowered; empty glumes with 
an awn, nearly three times their length, springing from the apical 
notch ; flowering glume much smaller than the empty ones, some- 
times mucronate. Annual, flowering June, July. 
Polypogon littoralzs, the Perennial Beard-grass, usually accom- 
panies the last species. It has a creeping rootstock. The panicle 
is markedly lobed and purplish ; acute empty glumes, with an awn 
about equalling their length ; flowering glume with an awn exceed- 
ing the tip of the spikelet. Perennial, flowering July. 
Our sixth is the agrarian group, comprising those grasses which 
are to be found in cultivated fields, generally among corn or clover, 
and on waste ground adjacent. 
Avena fatua, the Wild Oat, is frequent throughout England, 
but much less so in Scotland and Ireland. Culms 3 ft. Leaves 
broadly linear, flat, thin with scattered hairs above. Panicle lax, 
spreading on all sides. Spikelets #-1 inch long, pendulous, usually 
3-flowered ; flowering glumes rounded on the back, bifid, the lower 
half clothed with long fulvous hairs ; awn dorsal, kneed and twisted, 
twice the length of the flowering glumes. This species closely 
resembles the cultivated oat, from which it may be distinguished 
by the flowering glumes being all awned, very hairy, and in fruit 
dark-brown. Annual, flowering July, August. 
Alopecurus agrestis, the Slender Foxtail, is common in the 
south of England, where it is known as Black-grass, but becomes 
scarce northward; not naturalized in Scotland and Ireland. 
Culms erect, 1-2 ft.; leaves short, thin, with a few broad ribs; 
ligule prominent. Panicle spikelike, dense, about 3 inches long, 
narrow, tapering to a point at both ends, purplish. Spikelets + 
inch long, 1-flowered ; empty glumes united nearly to the middle, 
smooth, with a row of short hairs on the keel; flowering glume 
with a dorsal awn twice its length ; palea absent. Annual, flower- 
ing June to autumn. 
Bromus secalinus, the Rye Brome, is rather thinly distributed 
over England, and scarcer still in Scotland and Ireland. Culms 
2 ft. or more; leaves slightly hairy, sheaths nearly glabrous. 
Panicle slightly branched. Spikelets 3-2 inch long, glabrous and 
about 10-flowered. This species is readily distinguished from our 
other annual Bromes by the flowering glumes being loosely imbri- 
