312 GRAMINEjE. [Avena. 



Lands of Santry and Coolock, on a calcareous soil 5 Mr. J. White. 

 Fl. July. If. — Two to three feet high. Panicle erect and close, 

 purplish, with yellow saffron-coloured anthers. 



21. Avena. Linn. Oat, or Oat-grass. 



Panicle lax. Calyx 2-valved, 2-, or more, flowered. Corolla 

 of two lanceolate valves, firmly enclosing the seed, exterior 

 one bearing a twisted dorsal awn, upper florets often imper- 

 fect. — Name of doubtful origin : the ancients applied it to 

 the Brome-grass. Oat, Theis tells us, comes from the Celtic 

 word atan, the Oat ; and that again from etan, to eat. 



Triandria. Digynia. 



1. A.fatua, Linn. Wild Oat. Panicle erect; spikelets 

 drooping, of about three scabrous much awned florets, smaller 

 than the calyx, villous below ; root fibrous. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 53. 

 E. Fl. v. i. p. 162. E. Bot. t. 2221. 



Corn-fields, occasionally. Fl. June — Aug. 0. — Two to three feet 

 high. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Calyx-valves large, membranous, 

 ovato-lanceolate, shining at the margins, keeled, acuminate, ribbed. 

 Ext. valve of corolla with long fulvous hairs at its base, bifid at the 

 point. Awn of each floret long and twisted, and forming an excel- 

 lent Hygrometer. 



2. A. strigosa, Schrad. Bristle-pointed Oat. Panicle erect ; 

 branches all secund; spikelets of perfect florets, each awned, 

 as long as the calyx, and terminated by two bristles. Br. Fl. 

 ed. 3. p. 53. E. Fl. v. i. p. 163. E. Bot. t. 1266. 



" Corn-fields near Cork ; Mr. J. Drummond. Fl. June, July. 0. — 

 Resembling the common oat in general habit and size ; but the panicle 

 is strikingly different, being oblong, somewhat crowded, its branches all 

 leaning to one side. The essential difference resides in the two outer 

 glumes of each^o;-^ being tipped with two straight, prominent, red- 

 dish, rough bristles, over and above the great awn at the back ; which 

 circumstance gives the whole plant a remarkably bristly or strigose ap- 

 pearance." Hook. 



3. A. pratensis, Linn. Narrow-leaved Oat-grass. Raceme 

 erect, simple ; spikelets erect, oblong, of about 3 — 5 florets, 

 longer than the calyx ; leaves glabrous, finely serrated, lower 

 ones involute ; sheaths scarcely scabrous. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 53. 

 E. Fl. v. up. 164. E. Bot. t. 1204. 



Dry pastures over limestone, in mountainous districts. Fl. July. 

 %. — Leaves short, finely serrated with minute cartilaginous teeth at 

 the margins, the lower ones involute. 



4. A. pnbesccns, Linn. Downy Oat-grass. Panicle erect, 

 nearly simple; spikelets erect, of about three florets, a little 

 longer than the calyx; outer valves of corolla jagged; leaves 

 plane, downy, edges smooth. Br. Fl. ed. 3. p. 54. E. Fl. v. i. 

 p. 164. E. Bot. t. 1640.— Tri§etum pubcscens, Persoon. Lindl. 



