Ae Ay = AO 
sometimes called abortive flowers, each one with an awn between the 4 
lobes; the upper or perfect Hower is smaller, consisting of one broad, 4 
thin, three-nerved glume, and one (coinmonly considered the palet) nar- 
row, one-nerved, hyaline glume. No true palet. Stamens two; styles 
two, distinct. | 
A. cdoratum (Sweet Vernal Grass). 
A perennial grass, native of Europe, much employed as a part of 
mixed lawn grasses, and frequently naturalized in meadows. It grows 
thinly on the ground, with slender culms, seldom more than 1 foot to 18 | 
inches in height, and scanty in foliage. The panicle is 2 to 3 inches 
long, narrow, close, but expands considerably during flowering time. 
It is very fragrant and gives a pleasant odor to hay. (Plate 34.) 
ALOPECURUS. 
Alopecurus geniculatus (Water Foxtail). 
This species and its variety aristulatus, which is the more abundant 
form, is native to this country. It commonly grows on the muddy 
banks of streams and lakes, and sometimes is found in wet meadows 
and ditches. It seldom reaches more than a foot in height; the stem j 
is usually bent at the lower joint, and the sheaths of the leaves are 
more or less swollen, especially the upper one. It is of no value for 
cultivation, being useful only for the amount of grass it may contribute 
to the wild forage of the place in which it grows. 
Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow Foxtail). 
This is a perennial grass, a native of Europe, but it has been introduced into this ~ 
’ country and is frequently found in meadows of the Eastern States. it has consider- 
able resemblance to Timothy, but will be readily distinguished by an examination. 
It ordinarily grows but 2 feet high, but frequently in-good soil reaches 3 feet or more. 
The culms are erect, with four or five leaves at pretty uniform distances. The 
sheaths are long and rather loose, particularly the upper one. The blade of the leaf 
is 3 or 4 inches long, about one-quarter of an inch wide at the base, and tapering 
gradually to a point. The panicle terminates the stalk, and is a cylindrical spike 2 or 
3 inches long, dense, soft, and with the awns of the flowers conspicuously projecting. 
The spikelets are single-flowered, between 2 and 3 lines long. The outer glumes 
are strongly compressed, boat-shaped, keeled, nearly equal, sometimes slightly united 
together at the base, and have a line ofsoft, short hairs on the keels. These glumes 
closely inclose the flower, which is of nearly the same length, and consists of a flower- 
ing glume, but without any true palet. This flowering glume is folded upon itself 
and incloses the stamens and styles. It gives rise on its back, near the base, to a fine 
awn, which extends two or three lines beyond the glumes. 
Mr. J.S. Gould says: 
It flourishes in May, nearly four weeks in advance of Timothy, and is one of the © 
earliest grasses to start in the spring. Pastures well covered with this grass will 
afford a full bite at least one week earlier than those which do not have it. It does 
not flourish in dry soils, but loves moist lands; no grass bears a hot sun better, and 
it is not injured by frequent mowings, on which account, as well as for its early 
verdure, it is valuable for lawns. 
(Plate 35.) 
eee 
