Secale. CLXI. GRAMINEiE. 619 



A. APLULoiDES. Muhl. 



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

 late, smoothish beneath, pilose above ; stip. 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. — 

 '2J. Middle and Western States. Guillbrd, Conn., /?«^^W5.' 



Tribe 9. HORDED.— 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. tritum, rubbed or pround ; 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 ; palese 2, lower awned or mucro- 

 nate ; scales 2, collateral. 



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



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

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

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

 awns of the upper paka generally longer than the flowers.—® and @ 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. astivton. Summer Wheat. Glumes always awned. — ® 



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



2. T. REPRNs. (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-veined, acuminate.—^ A vile weed, in fields and gardens, extremely 

 difficult to eradicate. June — Aug. ^ 



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



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

 spikelets about 5-flowered ; gluvi.es 3-veined, and with the outer palea, terminat- 

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

 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 

 (Deck, bat., p. Hi}). 

 ^ ' ^ 52. SECALE. 



Celtic ae^al, from ae^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, oppo.sitc, shorter than the flowers ; lower palea with a very 

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



5. Ckhk.ai.k. Jfl/r. 



S/. hairy iH-ncith the spike, 4— Of high; Irs. lancc-linear, rough-edged 

 and rough ahovc, glaucous; spike about Ct' long, linear, compressed ; palece 

 smooth, lower ciliate on the keel and margin; aims scabrous-ciliato, lon^, 

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

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

 naturalized. June, July. 



