CLASS m. ORDER II. J BROMUS. 135^ 



Root fibrous. Stem sometimes procumbent at the base, and rooting 

 from the lower joints; the upper part erect, round, striated, slender, 

 smooth, leafy. Leaves spreading, many-ribbed, either nearly smooth 

 or clothed with short deflexed pubescence. Sheaths close, striated^ 

 nearly smooth, or clothed with deflexed pubescence. Ligula short, 

 obtuse. Inflorescence a rather large, partly whorled, drooping, at 

 length pendulous panicle ; its branches roughish, subdivided, and 

 spreading ; the lowermost whorl surrounded at the base with vai-ious- 

 sized notched scale?. Spihelets smooth or minutely downy, purplish. 

 Florets about eight, imbricated. Ghimes unequal, sharp-pointed. 

 Glumelles nearly equal : the outer with four lateral ribs, and a keel 

 which terminates in a purplish rough awn about the length of the 

 valve ; the inner with two green lateral ciliated ribs. Stifpnas feathery. 

 Anthers purple. 



Habitat. — Corn-fields and rich meadows, rare. Durham, near the 

 coast. Less rare in Scotland. Near Cullenagh, Queen's County, and 

 fields near Sandy Mount, Ireland. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



** Spikelets ovate-lanceolate ; glumes unequal, ovate-lanceolate. 



7. B. squarro'sus, Linn. (Fig. 174.) Corn Brome-grass. Panicle 

 drooping, scarcely branched; spikelets somewhat compressed; 

 florets imbricated, nearly smooth ; awn the length of the floret, 

 spreading ; leaves downy. 



English Botany, t. 1885. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 155. — Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 31 1 . — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 52. 



Root small, fibrous. Stem erect, simple, about a foot high, smooth, 

 striated. Leaves narrow, linear, striated, and more or less clothed with 

 soft pubescence. Sheaths short, covered with deflexed hairs. Ligula 

 short, obtuse, hairy. Inflorescence a short, nearly simple, drooping 

 panicle. Spikelets few, large, ovate, somewhat compressed, about an 

 inch long. Florets imbricated, compressed, about twelve. Glumes 

 unequal, ribbed : the outer lanceolate acute ; the inner ovate lanceo- 

 late. Glumelles nearly equal : the outer ovate oblong, the margins 

 somewhat inflexed, the apex bifid, ribs prominent, three or four on 

 each side ; the azvn inserted between the bifid extremity, about as long 

 as the valve, strong, rough, twisted, and remarkably spreading ; inner 

 valve obtuse, its green lateral ribs strongly ciliated. Stigmas feathery. 

 Fruit long, narrow, channelled on one side, and hairy at the apex. 



Habitat.— Rsive. Corn-fields in the South of England. Scotland — 

 Mr. G. Don. " Not indigenous" — Hooker. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



8. B. secali'nus, Linn. (Fig. 175.) sinooth Rye Brome-grass. Panicle 

 spreading, scavcely branched ; spikelets compressed ; florets about 



