19 



PHALAEIS CANAPJENSIS. 



Linnaeus. Smith. Hooker. Lindley. Parnexl. Kocn. 



Geeville. Willdenow. Knapp. Martyn-. 



Scheader. Leers. Scheebee. Sinclair. Sowerbv. Hudson. 



Withering. Sibthorp. 



plate vii. a. 



The Cultivated Canary Grass. 



Phalaris — Shining, (from the Greek.) Caiiariensis — Canary Island. 



Phalaris. Linnaius. — Panicle spiked or spreading, with laterally com- 

 pressed spikelets. Two glumes nearly equal in size, upright, membra- 

 naceous. Glumellas two, awnless, hairy; outer palca without lateral 

 ribs. Leaves broad and flat. Only two British species. 



Its name is derived from the Greek, in allusion to the polished 

 appearance of its seeds. 



This handsome Grass is not strictly a native of Great Britain, 

 yet has now become naturalized in many parts of England and 

 Scotland, probably owing to the extensive use of its seeds for 

 feeding Canaries and other small birds. 



It appears to prefer rich ground, and near Beeston it is 

 seldom found '"except in gardens and orchards. 



Native of the Canary Islands. It has also become naturalized 

 in America. 



Probably it is not of any agricultural value. 



Panicle globular, upright, with brief branches. Spikelets 

 oval, imbricated, flat, handsomely marked with yellowish green 

 and white stripes, having one awnless floret. Calyx of two 

 equal-sized compressed glumes. Floret consisting of two palese, 

 the outer one egg-shaped, acute, hairy, having two membranous 

 lance-shaped acute scales at the base, of half the length of 



