31 
of the culm, bursts the sheaths which surround it, and thus the sheaths of the culm-leaves are usually 
split. The leaf-blades are long, rough, and strongly keeled; the ribs are very inconspicuous (fig. 412). 
The ligule is long and more or less torn at the apex (fig, 10). The inflorescence is a one-sided panicle, 
composed of numerous spikelets, which form dense. tufts at the ends of the thick, stiff, rough branches 
(fig. A). Each spikelet contains 3 to 4 flowers, and is laterally compressed. The glumes are slightly 
shorter than the pales of the lowest flowers, keeled, and acuminate; the lower has 1 to 3 nerves, and 
a glabrous keel (figs. 1 and 9); the upper, 3 to 5 nerves, and a ciliated keel (figs. 1 and 9). The 
pales are of two kinds, the lower (figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9), has 5 nerves, a short apical awn, rough hairs 
on the keel, and the surface often somewhat downy; the upper (figs. 1, 3, 6 and 9) has two finely 
ciliated keels prolonged into a pair of apical teeth, and its outer surface is concave. The flower is 
composed of two, short, ovale lodicules, 3 stamens, and a pistil with a long, glabrous ovary (fig. 3). 
When ripe, the glumes do not detach, but the fruits readily fall away. The false fruit (the cary- 
opsis enclosed in the lower and upper pales) is 5—6 mm. long without the awn, 8—9 mm. with it, 
strongly compressed at the sides, and bent at the apex towards the broadside of the spikelet (figs. 4, 
5 and 6). The fruits either separate from one another or may remain united in pairs (fig. 4). The 
stalk (a detached portion of the axis of the spikelet), is strong, and becomes broad and flat towards 
the apex (fig. 6); it springs from the base of the upper pale. The caryopsis, which lies free between 
the pales, is ovate in form, and slightly concave on the ventral surface (figs. 7 and 8). The embryo 
is very minute (fig. 8). 
The English name of this grass refers to the form of the panicle, the tufts of spikelets are often 
in groups roughly resembling a cock’s foot. As it is frequent under the shade of orchard-trees in 
America, it is there usually spoken of as »orchard-grass«. 
In Switzerland cocksfoot was first cultivated by Fellenberg. A Swiss commission says, that in 1808, 
) acres were sown with the seed of this grass obtained from the lands of Hofwyl. The importation of 
seed from Dauphiny commenced about 1860. In England, Coke cultivated it on a large scale in Norfolk, 
about the beginning of the present century. 
Schwerz regards it as one of the best grasses. It is a quick-growing, tolerably 
early »top-grass«, with tall culms, and long, thick, succulent leaves. When grown in a 
deep rich soil the leaves develope Iuxuriantly, especially in the second cutting, often 
attaining a length of 2 ft. or more. This excessive leaf-development enables it to grow 
well in the shade or beneath trees. For pasture, it is not so good as for mowing because, 
it produces compact cushions of grass, which are easily pulled out of the ground by brow- 
sing cattle. 
Occurrence, climate, soil, manure. Cocksfoot is indigenous — to Europe, except Lapland and 
Arctic Russia; to Africa. in Algeria, the Canaries and Madeira; to Asia. in Caucasus, the desert of Sinai 
and Siberia. It has been introduced into North America. Occurs throughout England, Scotland and Ire- 
land, from Cornwall, Isle of Wight and Kent to Shetland, Orkney and the Hebrides. It descends in 
the south to the coast-level and ascends to 1400 feet in the county of Aberdeen. 
This grass is very common in rich meadows and pastures, and on the borders of woods, fields, 
and also on roadsides. 
On the Alps, it ascends to 6500 ft. (De Candolle, Heer); in Spain, to 9,800 ft. (Boissier). 
Cocksfoot is little affected by drought, when the soil is sufficiently deep to allow the 
much-branched system of roots to descend into it. Sprengel has shewn that the roots can 
descend to a depth of two or more feet. During a period of drought depasturing does grea- 
test damage, beeause then the plants are most easily uprooted. Late frosts cause serious 
injury, but the cold of winter affects it very little. 
This grass succeeds on almost any kind of soil, except poor sands and heaths. Fullest 
development is attained on loams and clays, which are rich, deep, and moist; on marly 
Name. 
History. 
Agricultural 
value. 
Geographical 
distribution. 
Habitat. 
Limits of 
altitude. 
Climate. 
Soil. 
