450 GllAMlNACE/E. 



X. Horded. Spikelels 3- many-flowered, rarely Iflowered, often 

 awned; the terminai flower imperfect. Glumes and paletc 2,herba' 

 ceous ; the former rarely wanting. Stigmas sessile. 



50. LOLIUM. Linn.— Deirne]. 

 (A classical Latin name, applied to this genus.) 



Spikelets sessile, many-flowered, distichous at right angles 

 with, or the edge to the rachis. Flowers imbricate, naked at 

 the base. Inner glume mostly wanting. Lower palea lanceo- 

 late, mucronate or with a short bristle at the tip ; upper one 

 2-keeled. — Spike simple ; rachis not jointed, 



1. L. perenne Linn. : perennial ; spikelets longer than the glumes, linear- 

 oblong, compressed, 7 — 9-flowered ; flowers mostly awnless. 



Meadows and fields. N. Eng. N. Y. and Penn. June. %.—Culm 1—2 

 feet high, smooth. Leaves lance-linear, smooth, shining, somewhat rough near 

 the end. Spikelets 12 — 20, alternate, forming a spike about 6 inches long. In- 

 troduced, probably from England, where it is esteemed as a valuable grass for 

 the agriculturalist. Perennial Darnel. Rye-grass. 



2. L. temulentum Linn. : annual ; spikelets as long as the glumes, much 

 compressed, 5 — 7-flowered ; flowers as long as the rigid awns. 



Fields. N. Eng. and Penn. July. (1). — Culm about 2 feet high, terete, 

 scabrous above. Leaves lance-linear, rough on the margins. Spikelets much 

 compressed. The seeds are said to be poisonous. Introduced from Europe. 



Bearded Darnel. 



51. TRITICUM. Linn.— Vfheeit or Wheat Grass. 



(From the Latin iritum, rubbed or ground ; because the seed is thus prepared 

 for food.) 



Spikelets distichously imbricate, sessile on the teeth of the 

 rachis, 3- many-flowered. Glumes 2, nearly equal, opposite. 

 Paleae lanceolate ; the lower one concave, acuminate or awned 

 at the summit. Scales 2, mostly entire and ciliate. — Flowers 

 spiked. 



1. T. repens Linn.: root creeping; spike distichous, compressed; spike- 

 lets about 5-flowered, distant, alternate, lance-oblong, acute ; glimaes lan- 

 ceolate, 5-nerved, acuminate. Agropyron repens Torr. PI. 



Fields and meadows. N. S. W. to Miss. June — Aug. %.. — Root or rhi- 

 zoTna jointed, proliferous. CWm about 2 feet high. Leaves lance-linear, some- 

 what scabrous. Spike 3 — 5 inches long. A very troublesome weed. Intro- 

 duced from Europe. Creeping Wheat-grass. Couch-grass. 



2. T. caninum Linn. : root fibrous ; spike distichous, compressed j spike- 

 lets about 5-flowered ; glumes lanceolate, 3 — 5-nerved, acute ; lower palea 

 awned. Agropyron caninum R. <^ S. 



Fields. Penn-Yan, N. Y. Dr. Sartwell. Del. Mu?d. July. %.—Culni 

 2—^ feet high Leaves flat, smooth. Best distinguished from the preceding by 

 its fibrous root Introduced from Europe. Fibrous-rooted Wheat-grass. 



