34 



POACEAE. 



23. DESMAZEEIA Dumort. 



Low, tufted grasses, with short narrow leaves, and several-many-flowered, 

 compressed spikelets, sessile and 2-ranked in narrow spikes, the rachis angled 

 and flexuous. Scales nearly equal, or the lower a little larger than the others, 

 all convex or obtusely keeled. Grain channeled on the inner face. [Named 

 for M. Desmazieres.] A few species of Europe and Africa. Type species: 

 Poa sicula Jacq. 



1. Desmazeria loliacea (Huds.) Ny- 

 man. DARNEL DESMAZERIA. (Fig. 51.) 

 Annual, glabrous; culms rather stiff, as- 

 cending or spreading, 2 '-5' long. Leaves 

 i'-2' long, about 1" wide; spike l'-2' long: 

 spikelets alternate, in 2 rows, oblong, 2"- 

 3" long, 7-11-flowered; flowering scales 

 about 1" long, obtuse, finely nerved. [Poa 

 loliacea Huds.; Catapodium loliaceum'Lmk.] 



Waste ground Spanish Point, 1905. In- 

 troduced. Native of southern Europe. Flow- 

 ers in summer and autumn. 



24. BROMUS L. 



Annual or perennial grasses, with usually closed leaf-sheaths, flat blades 

 and contracted or open panicles', the branches often nodding. Spikelets usually 

 large, often drooping, few-many-flowered, the flowers perfect or the upper 

 ones imperfect. Scales few-many, membranous, the 2 lower empty, persistent, 

 narrow, unequal, acute or the second sometimes short-awned; flowering scales 

 longer and often broader, rounded on the back, at least below, usually awned, 

 rarely awnless, the awn dorsal and inserted just below the 2-toothed apex; palet 

 shorter than the scale, 2-keeled. Stamens 3, rarely fewer. Ovary crowned by 

 a villous appendage, at the base of which arise the very short but distinct 

 styles. [Greek name for a kind of oat.] About 60 species, widely dis- 

 tributed. Type species: Bromus secalinus L. 



