vjj^as in. OKSEA 



n.l HOBDEUM. 151 



1. H. sylvat'ieum, Hndson, (Fig. 192.) Wood Barley-grass. Spike 

 erect, compact ; florets two or three, mostly perfect; glumes linear- 

 lanceolate, awned, roughish. 



Hudson, Flora Anglica, p. 57. — Ely'mus Europa'm, Linn. English 

 Botany, t. 1317. — English Flora, vol, i. p. 178. — Lindley, Synopsis, 

 p. 296. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 55. 



Root of numerous strong fibres, tufted. Stems numerous from the 

 same root, erect except at the base, from two to three feet high, round, 

 striated, roughish, leafy, especially below. Leaves broad, linear-lance- 

 olate, rough, with a mid-rib, and numerously striated. Sheaths rather 

 short, close, striated, roughish, and more or less clothed with deflexed 

 hairs. Ligula very short, obtuse, mostly crenated. Inflorescence an 

 erect, close, imbricated spike, from two to three inches long ; its rachis 

 angular, rough, waved and notched. Spikelets three together, from 

 each notch of the rachis, elevated on short roughish footstalks, each 

 spikelet mostly containing a single, sometimes but rarely two florets, 

 all mostly perfect. Glumes two, on the outer side of the floret, linear- 

 lanceolate, ribbed, smooth at the base, rough towards the point, and 

 terminating in a roughish awn. Glumclles lanceolate, equal : the outer 

 concave, mostly smooth and shining in the lower part, roughish and 

 ribbed towards the point, and terminating in a long, rough anm ; the 

 inner flat, smoothish, with two strong, roughish, lateral ribs ; the apex 

 slightly bifid, and at its base a rough, strong awn, about half its length; 

 an abortive floret, which sometimes becomes developed. Glumellules 

 acute, the margins ciliated. Stigmas short, feathery. Fruit downy 

 at the apex, furrowed on one side, and closely invested with the glu- 

 melles. 



Habitat. — Woods and thickets in a chalky or calcareous soil ; not 

 uncommon in the midland counties of England, but unknown to Scot- 

 land or Ireland. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



This grass, united by many botanists with Elymus, I have, after 

 Hudson, Knapp, and others, placed among the Hordeums, not, how- 

 ever, without a minute and careful examination of numerous specimens 

 collected in various situations ; and upon comparing these with the 

 various species of Hordeum, not only in their habit but structure, I 

 cannot but agree with the above authors, in thinking this a much more 

 natural arrangement. It is true that the florets are mostly perfect, and 

 that sometimes there are two in one spikelet ; this, however, is not 

 more than occurs among the Hordeums ; and at the base of the inner 

 valve of this, as in all our British species of Hordeum, there is an 

 abortive or undeveloped floret, reduced in most instances to a simple awn. 



2. H. mu'rinum, Linn. (Fig. 193.) Wall Barley. Spike erect; 

 glumes of the intermediate floret linear-lanceolate, ciliated ; those 

 of the lateral florets bristle-shaped. 



