UOKTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 197 



PANICUM viride. Green Panic-grass. 



Specific character : Panicle spiked, cylindrical, continuous, 

 with numerous prominent bristles, rough with erect 

 teeth ; corolla of the perfect floret slightly uneven. 

 Native of Britain. Root annual. 



Experiments. — At the time the seed is ripe, the produce 

 from a rich siliceous soil, incumbent on clay, is 5,445 lbs. 

 per acre. 



This species of panic-grass is therefore of little value to the 

 agriculturist, and as it is far from being a common grass, it 

 is not much to be feared as a weed. 



It flowers in the second and third weeks of July, when 

 sown in the preceding autumn, and the seed is ripe about 

 the middle of August ; but it continues to flower till the 

 cold prevents it. 



DIGIT ARIA sanguinalis. Slender-spiked Finger-grass, 

 Cock's-foot Finger-grass. Panicum sanguinale. Slen- 

 der-spiked Panic -grass. 



Specijic character : Leaves and their sheaths somewhat 

 hairy; flowers in pairs ; calyx rough at the edges of its 

 largest valve only. 



Native of Britain. Root annual. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from 

 a sandy soil is 6,^06 lbs. per acre. 



This and the foregoing species are strictly annual plants. 

 From the above details, the nutritive powers of the herb- 

 age they produce is very inconsiderable. Schreber informs 

 us, the seeds are collected from this grass, which is cul- 

 tivated in some parts of Germany as a favourite article of 

 food. When boiled with milk or wine it is extremely palat- 

 able, and is in general made use of whole, in the manner of 

 sago, to which it is, in most instances, preferred. Miss Jen- 

 nings observes, that all the stems that lie nearest the o-round 

 strike root, and by this means, though an annual and short- 



