128 FESTUCA. [class m. ORDER U. 



6. F. bromoid'cs,' Lmu. (Fig. 162.) barren Fescue-grass. Panicle 

 erect; spikelets turned to one side; florets shorter than the awn, 

 containing only one stamen; stem leafless in the upper part. 



English Botany, t. 1411.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 142.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 49. — Vul'pia bromoid'es, Dumort. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 315. 



Greatly resembling the above species, except in being much smaller. 

 Stem from six to twelve inches high, naked in the upper part. Leaves 

 narrow, tapering, bristle-sliaped, from the inflexed edges; the upper 

 ones shorter than the close, striated, smooth sheaths. Ligula very 

 short. Inflorescence a short, scarcely branched panicle, sometimes 

 racemed. Spikelets mostly turned to one side. Glumes very unequal : 

 the larger keeled, and with two lateral ribs ; the smaller keeled. Flo- 

 o-ets narrow, tapering, about six. Glumelles nearly equal : the outer 

 roughish, terminating in an awn longer than itself; the inner with two 

 marginal, roughish, green ribs, scarcely bifid at the apex. Stigmas 

 small, feathery. Stamen only one. Anther yellow. Fruit long, 

 deeply channelled on one side. 



Habitat. — Walls and dry places ; not very common in England and 

 Ireland, — less so in Scotland. About Edinburgh, and Isle of Arran, 

 on the sandy beach. 



Annual ; flowering in June. 



6. F. uniglu'mis, Soland. (Fig. 163.) single-glumed Fescue-grass. 

 Panicle an erect, two-ranked raceme ; florets compressed, shorter 

 than their awn ; outer valve of the glumes very small. 



English Botany, t. 1430. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 144. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 50. — Vul'pia uniglu'mis, Dumort. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 314. 



Root fibrous. Stem erect, several from the same root, from six to 

 eighteen inches higli, smooth and leafy, almost to the top. Leaves 

 short, acute, striated, smooth, or sometimes scattered with hairs. 

 Sheaths long, striated, smooth, close. Ligula short, obtuse. Inflores- 

 cence an erect, simple, two-ranked racemose panicle; its branches 

 short, dilated, and roughish. Spikelets mostly turned to one side. 

 Glumes very unequal ; the outer almost obsolete. Florets tapering, 

 compressed. Glumelles nearly equal : the outer valve terminating in a 

 roughish awn, longer than itself; the inner with two marginal, rough- 

 ish ribs, scarcely bifid at the apex. Stigmas short, feathery. Stamens 

 three. Anthers yellow. Fruit oblong, deeply channelled on one 

 side. 



Habitat. — On the sandy sea-coast, chiefly of Sussex. Portmarnock 

 Sandhills, Ireland. 



Biennial — Smith ; annual — Hooker; flowering in June. 



