360 POACE^. 



gJium, a subgenus in AndropogonecB. Holcus is nearly allied to 

 Deschampsia, but the upper floret of each spikelet is male with an 

 awned glume, the lower unawned and perfect. 



A. Spikelets about 4 mm. long, awn scarcely protruding. . 1 



B. Spikelets 5 mm. long, awn protruding 2 



1. H. LANATUS L. Sp. PL 1048 (1753). Velvet-geass. H. 

 glaucus^^illk. Willk. & Lange, Prod. Fl. Hisp. 1:307 (1861). 



Perennial with creeping rootstocks; culms ascending, 30-60 cm. 

 high, clothed throughout more or less with a very short pubescence, 

 giving the plant a soft light color. Panicle 5-10 cm. long, 2.5 cm. 

 broad, of a pale or reddish color. Spikelets oval, oblong, nearly 4 

 mm. long, the awn scarcely protruding; lower floret narrowly- 

 ovoid, 3 mm. long, with 5 obscure nerves; palea as long as its 

 glume, obtuse; upper floret narrower and shorter than the lower; 

 floral glume obscurely nerved, awn as long as its glume, starting a 

 third the way below the apex; palea obtuse, two-thirds as long as 

 its glume. 



U. S. Dept. Agricul. 465, distributed in 1881. 



Found in moist meadows and pastures of Europe, probably in 

 Kussian Asia; introduced into Austria, Tasmania, northern and 

 southern Africa, and many parts of Korth America. 



It grows well on poor lands, but the quality is not good under 

 any circumstances. For further remarks see Vol. 1, p. 193, Fig. 86. 



2. H. MOLLIS L. Syst. Ed. 10: 1305 (1759). H. densus Peterm. 

 Flora, 27:233 (1844). 



A smooth perennial grass, rootstocks creeping extensively; culms 

 20-70 cm. high, villous at the nodes. Leaf-blades shorter than 

 those of the former species, the upper 2-6 cm. long. Panicle much 

 as in H. lanatus. Spikelets lance-elliptical, 5 mm. long, awn pro- 

 truding half the length of the spikelet; rachilla bearing tufts of 

 hairs l)elow each floret; lower floret narrowly ovoid, 2.5 mm. long; 

 palea as long as its glume, obtuse; upper floret nari'ow, nearly 3 

 mm. long, awn starting from below the tip, 4 mm. long; palea a 

 little shorter. 



Found in nearly the same countries and locations as H. 

 lanatus, though much less common. 



