CLASS III. ORDER II. 



HOUDEUM. 153 



inner valve smooth, with two lateral roughish ribs. Stigmas loosely 

 feathery. 



Habitat. — Fields and meadows; not unfrequent in England and 

 Ireland ; Salisbury Craigs, near Edinburgh, Scotland. 



Annual; flowering in June and July. 



This grass, though found to form a part of many pastures, does not 

 possess those qualities by which it can be recommended to the notice 

 of the agriculturist, although it is said to form the principal part of 

 the herbage of some pastures in Norfolk, that are esteemed for the 

 superior kind of sheep that feed upon it. 



4. H. niarit'imuin, Withering, (Fig. 195.) Sea-side Barley. Glumes 

 smoothish, the interior one of the lateral florets semi-lanceolate, 

 the rest bristle-shaped. 



English Botany, t. 1205. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 181. — Lindley, 

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



Root fibrous, tufted. Stem bent at the base, erect above, ahout a 

 foot high, smooth, striated, leafy, and, as well as the whole plant, of a 

 pale glaucous-green. Leaves numerous at the base, narrow, linear, 

 smooth, or slightly hairy. Sheaths loose, the upper one inflated, stri- 

 ated, smooth. Ligula very short, obtuse, crenated. Infiorescencc si- 

 milar to H. murinum^ to which this plant is nearest allied. Glumes 

 smoothish, all bristle-shaped except the inner one of the lateral florets, 

 which are dilated on one side towards the base into half lance- shaped. 

 Glumelles equal, smooth : the outer scarcely ribbed, and terminating 

 in a long roughish awn, those of the lateral florets with short awns ; 

 inner valve with two lateral ribs, and from its base arises a smooth 

 bristle. 



Habitat. — Dry pastures and sandy ground near the sea. Not un- 

 common in England. In Angusshire, Scotland. Between Swords 

 and Rush, Ireland ? 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



This plant, like H. murinum, is injurious to pastures and hay-fields, 

 on account of the brittleness of the spikes, and the. roughness of the 

 glumes, which hurt the mouths of cattle so much, that in the Isle of 

 Thanet, where it is very common, it is said to be one of the best recom- 

 mendations of an inn to have hay without squirrel tails, or beard grass, 

 amongst it. 



The common cultivated Barley, H. distiehon, is a well-known cereal 

 grass of considerable importance, though not so much as an article of 

 food with us at the present time as it was formerly. By the Romans 

 it was cultivated as food for their horses, and also ground down and 

 made into bread for themselves ; and it was considered so superior in 

 its nutritious properties, as to be regularly supplied to the army. It 

 was also the food of gladiators when training : hence, it is said, they 



VOL. t. X 



