Secale. CLXI. GR amines. 619 



A. APLULOIDES. Muhl. 



St. 1 — 2f high, geniculate at base, ascending, terete ; Ivs. linear-lanceo- 

 late, smoothish beneath, pilose above ; slip, short, truncate ; spikes 4 — 6" long, 

 20—40, on short, flat peduncles, thinly arranged in 2 opposite rows, each with 

 4 — 8 spikelets ; spikelets 2-flowered, arranged in 2 rows on the under side of the 

 flat, partial rachis ; glumes unequal, the lower awn-like and slightly adhering 

 to the rachis ; anth. 3, bright red ; fr. oblong ; abortive fi. pedicellate, empty. — 

 %. Middle and Western States. Guilford, Conn., Robbitis! 



Tribe 9. HORDE J3. — Inflorescence spiked. Spikelets solitary, in pairs, or 

 several together, one, few or many-flowered. Glumes mostly two, equal and 

 opposite, rarely unequal and alternate. Lower palea awned or awnless, up- 

 per one with 2 keels. 



51. TRITICUM. 



Lat. trituin, rubbed or ground ; alluding to the manner of its preparation for food. 



Spikelets imbricated in 2 rows, sessile on the teeth of the rachis, 

 about 5-flowered, with the upper flowers abortive ; glumes 2, equal, 

 opposite, ovate, concave, mucronate ; paleae 2, lower awned or mucro- 

 nate ; scales 2, collateral. 



1. T. SATIVUM. /?. hybernum. Winter Wheat. 



St. round, smooth, the internodes somewhat inflated, 3 — 5f high ; Ivs. 

 lance-linear, veined, roughish above ; slip, truncate ; spike parallel, somewhat 

 4-sided ; spikelets crowded, broad-ovate, about 4-fiowered ; glumes ventricose ; 

 awns of the upper paka generally longer than the flowers. — (j) and (g) This is 

 without doubt the most valuable plant of the order ; is universally cultivated, 

 and may be regarded as naturalized. Many varieties are known to farmers, 

 of which the most important are 



y. astivuvi. Summer Wheat. Glumes always awned. — (J) 



6. compositum. Egyptian Wheat. Spike compound ; spikelets awned. 



2. T. REPENs. (Agropyron. Palis.) 



St. trailing at the lower joints, about 2f high ; Ivs. lance-linear, rough 

 above and somewhat hairy ; slip, short, truncate ; spike compressed, about 3' in 

 length ; spikelets remote, alternate, lance-oblong, 5 — 6-flowered ; glumes lanceo- 

 late, 5-veincd, acuminate. — TJ. A vile weed, in fields and gardens, extremely 

 dilficult to eradicate. June — Aug. ^ 



3. T. CANiNUM. R. & S. Dog's Couch Grass. 



St. 2 — 3f high, erect or oblique; Ivs. flat, smooth; slip, almost wanting; 

 spikelets about 5-flowered ; glumes 3-veined, and with the outer palea, terminat- 

 ing in a straight, scabrous bristle, longer than the flowers. — Delaware, Muhleri- 

 berg. Probably ^. 



4. T. CRisTATUM. Schreb. (Bromus cristatus. Linn.) 



St. erect, glabrous ; spike oblong, compressed, imbricated in 2 rows, about 

 5-flowered, smoothish, spreading ; palece subulate-awned. — Penn. Schweinitz 

 (Beck, bot., p. 416). 



52. SECALE. 

 Celtic scgal. from seg'a, a sickle. 



Spikelets solitary on the teeth of the rachis, 2 — 3-flowered, the 2 

 lower flowers fertile, sessile, opposite, the upper one abortive ; glumes 

 subulate, opposite, shorter than the flowers ; lower palea with a very 

 long awn, upper often bifid at apex ; scales abortive, hairy. 



5. Cereale. Rvc. 



St. hairy beneath the spike, 4 — 6f high ; Ivs. lance-linear, rough-edged 

 and rough above, glaucous ; spike about 5' long, linear, compressed ; palea 

 smooth, lower ciliate on the keel and margin ; awns scabrous-ciliate, long, 

 straight, erect. — (T) or @ The native country of this highly valuable grain is 

 unknown. It has long been cultivated, and like the wheat, may be considered 

 naturalized. .Tunc, Julv. 



