THE GENERAL CHARACTERS OF SEEDS 



415 



i-i,.'; 



Pig. 247. A. Timothy (Phleum pratense). Hulled and unhulled seed. B. Red 



Top (Agrostis alba). 

 (A, drawing by Charlotte M. King; B, after Hillman, U. S Dept. Agr.) 



gray; seeds somewhat transparent with darker elongated area at 

 lower end, marking the location of the embryo. 



Red Top (Agrostis alba L.). 



Spikelet one-twelfth to one-eighth in. long, empty glumes 

 lanceolate, acute ; the first scabrous on the keel ; the second a little 

 shorter, and smooth or scabrous near the apex ; flowering glume a, 

 little shorter than the empty ones, obtuse or truncate ; palet one- 

 half to three-quarters as long as glume ; rachilla frequently present 

 in seed, roughened ; fruit brownish, ovate. 



Wild Oats (Avena fatua L.). 



Fruit spindle shape, and of a light yellow color on the tip, bal- 

 ance darker yellow to blackish brown ; bears one long geniculate 

 awn with lower end twisted ; basal scar oval, sloping, with a bunch 

 of soft hairs just above ; size 15 mm. 



