GRASS TRIBE 59 
the terminal spikelet, which has 2; flowering glumes rigid, 5—7-nerved. 
Name, an old Latin one for these grasses. 39. 
45. Wheat-grass (dgropyrum).—Spikelets similar to those of Lolium, 
and arranged in the same way, but with their flat sides to the rachis ; empty 
glumes 2, unequal; other characters as in Loliwm. Name, the classical one 
for these or similar grasses, from the Greek agros, a field, and- puros, 
wheat. 37 (Triticum). 
46. Hard-grass (Leptirus).—Spikelets solitary, arranged alternately in 
two rows, with their broadsides to the jointed rachis, 1-flowered ; rachilla 
produced, sometimes terminated by a second flowering glume; empty 
glumes 2, leathery, ribbed, equal; flowering glume keeled, inclosed in the 
empty glumes. Name from the Greek leptos, slender, and owra, tail. 40. 
47, Mat-grass (Ndrdus).—Spikelets sessile and solitary in the notches 
of a one-sided unbranched spike, arranged obliquely, 1-flowered ; empty 
glumes absent ; flowering glume 1, slender, keeled, shortly awned. Name, 
the Greek nardos, originally applied to some aromatic plant. 2. 
48. Barley (Hérdewm).—Spikelets almost sessile, in a two-rowed spike, 
2 or 3 from the same notch, and arranged broadside to the rachis, 1-flowered ; 
rachilla produced, with an awl-shaped rudimentary glume ; empty glumes 2, 
equal, awned; flowering glume rounded at back, awned. Name, the old 
Latin name for these plants. 36. 
49, Lyme-grass (Elymus).—Spikelets and their arrangement similar to 
Hordeum, but from 2—‘7-flowered ; flowering glumes leathery, 5-nerved. 
Name from the Greek eluo, rolled up. 35. 
1. (8) VERNAL-GRASS (Anthoxdnthum). 
Sweet-scented Vernal-grass (4. odordtum).—Panicle spiked, oblong; 
glumes about as long as the awns. Perennial. This grass may be known by 
its early flowering. By the middle of April, while as yet scarcely any grasses 
are in blossom, the compact panicle of this species may be seen on its slender 
stem, which is about a foot high, and accompanied by short, flat, rather light 
green leaves. It is rather abundant in meadows, pastures, and on downs, 
growing often at a great elevation. It is a grass to which our summer hay- 
field owes much of its fragrance, for though other grasses contribute to this, 
in some degree, yet hay made from rye-grass, or other sown grasses in which 
this vernal species is wanting, has not the sweetness yielded so fully by this. 
Its glumes, as seen beneath the microscope, are copiously furnished with small 
glands, containing a fragrant essential oil. The scent of this grass is less 
powerful in its fresh than in its dried state, but its pleasant flavour, remind- 
ing us of highly-scented tea, is perceptible to the taste at all stages of its 
growth. It grows in any soil or situation, becoming more luxuriant on moist 
land, and bearing, when growing in marshes, a large panicle. Though its 
amount of herbage is small, yet its readiness of growth renders it a useful 
pasture-grass ; and its sweetness fits it for pleasure-grounds. Professor 
Buckman remarks, that it is a most valuable grass to mingle with others, 
from the flavour which it imparts, but that it is too bitter to be greatly 
relished by cattle in continual use, and without the admixture of other 
grasses. Its leaves are apt in dry seasons to be blighted, and to assume an 
8—2 
