GRASS FAMILY. 225 
86. LOLIUM L.,. Sp. Pl. 83.1753. 
Annual or perennial grasses, with flat leaves and terminal spikes. Spikelets several- 
flowered, solitary, sessile and alternate in the notches of the usually continuous rachis, com- 
pressed, the edge of the spikelet (backs of the scales) turned toward the rachis. Scales 
rigid; lower scale empty in the lateral spikelets, and the 2 lower empty in the terminal; 
flowering scales rounded on the back, 5~7-nerved; palets 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Styles dis- 
tinct, very short. Stigmas 2, plumose. Grain adherent tothe palet. [Latin name for Darnel. ] 
About 6 species, natives of the Old World. 
Empty scale shorter than the spikelet. 1. L. perenne. 
Empty scale equalling or extending beyond the flowering scales. 2. L. temulentum. 
1. Lolium perénne I... Ray-grass. 
Rye-grass. (Fig. 521.) 
Lolium perenne I,. Sp. Pl. 83. 1753- 
Smooth and glabrous, culms 6/-2%4° tall, 
erect, simple. Sheaths shorter than the in- 
ternodes; ligule very short; leaves 2’—5/ long, 
1//-2// wide; spike 3/-8’ in length; spikelets 
5-10-flowered, 4’/-6’’ long, the empty scale 
shorter than the spikelet, strongly nerved; 
flowering scales 2//-3// long, obscurely 
nerved, acuminate or awned, the awn some- 
times nearly as long as the body of the scale. 
In waste places and cultivated grounds almost 
throughout the northern United States and 
southern British America. Naturalized from 
Europe. Native also of Asia. Erroneously 
called Darnel, this name belonging to the fol- 
lowing species. July-Aug. 
2. Lolium temuléntum J[,. Darnel. 
Ivray. (Fig. 522.) 
Lolium temulentum J,. Sp. Pl. 83. 1753. 
Glabrous, culms 2°-4° tall, erect, simple, smooth. 
Sheaths overlapping; ligule 1’’ long or less; leaves 
4/-10’ in length, 1//-3’’ wide, smooth beneath, 
rough above; spike 4/-12/ in length; spikelets 4-8- 
flowered, 5’’-9’’ long, the strongly nerved empty 
scale equalling or extending beyond the obscurely 
nerved flowering scales, which are awned or awn- 
less. 
In waste places and cultivated grounds, locally natur- 
alized or adventive from Europe, New Brunswick to 
Michigan and Georgia. Abundant on the Pacific Coast. 
Locally a troublesome weed. June-Aug. 
87. LEPTURUS R. Br. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 1: 207. I8I0. 
Usually low annual grasses, with narrow leaves and strict or curved elongated slender 
spikes. Spikelets 1-2-flowered, sessile and single in alternate notches of the jointed rachis. 
Empty scales 2, rarely 1, narrow, rigid, acute, 5-nerved; flowering scales much shorter, hya- 
line, keeled, one side turned to the rachis. Palets hyaline, 2-nerved. Stamens 3, or fewer. 
Styles short, distinct. Stigmas 2, plumose. Grain narrow, glabrous, free, enclosed in the 
scale. [Greek, referring to the narrow spikes. ] 
Species 5 or 6, natives of the Old World. 
