AVENE.E. 387 



the upper one. Empty glumes unequal, persistent, acute, keeled, 

 thinly scarious on the margins; floral glume thinly scarious, 5-7- 

 nerved, apex slightly dentate, the lower enclosing a staminate 

 flower, with a dorsal twisted awn attached near the base, the upper 

 unawned or with a minute awn near the apex of the glume, or 

 witli a dorsal, twisted awn; palea hyaline, prominently 2-nerved. 

 Stamens 3. Stigmas sessile. Grain ovoid, enclosed in the glume 

 and palea, but not adhering. Seed not furrowed. 



Tall perennial grasses with flat leaf-blades. Panicle erect, often 

 1-sided. 



Species 3, found in Europe, northern Africa, and the cooler 

 parts of Asia. 



This genus is often included in Avena, but differs from it in 

 having the lower flower staminate and the upper fertile. 



1. A. ELATiOR (L.) Beauv. ; M. & K. Deutsch. Fl. 1:546 

 (1823). Tall Oat-grass. Avena elatior L. Sp. PI. 79 (1753). 

 Avena tuherosa Gilib. Exercit. 2:538 (1766). Avena secunda 

 Salisb. Prod. 22 (1796). Avena hulhosa Willd. Ges. Naturf. Fr. 

 Berl. Neue Schr. 2:116 (1799). Arrlienatlierum avenaceum 

 Beauv. Agrost. 152 (1812), name only. Arrlienatlierum precato- 

 rium. Beauv. Agrost. 56 (1812). Arrlienatlierum hulbosum Presl, 

 Gyp. et. Gram. Sic. 29 (1826). Arrliejiathei-um palcestinum Boiss. 

 Diagn. (I.) 13 : 51 (1842-59). Arrlienatlierum Uaristatum Peterm. 

 Fl. Lips. Excurs. 106 (1846). Arrlienatlierum asperum Opiz, 

 in Lotos, 3: 65 (1853). Arrlienatlierum cecliicum Opiz, in Lotos, 

 3: 66 (1853). Arrlienatlierimi exserens 1. c. 65 (1853). Arrlien- 

 atlierum zavadilianum Opiz. Lotos, 3: 66 (1853). 



An erect tufted grass, 60-120 cm. or more high. Leaf-blades 

 few and flaccid. Panicle narrow and loose, 15-20 cm. long, 3 cm. 

 broad. Spikelets 8-10 mm. long, second glume nearly as long as 

 the floral ones, the outer one shorter; lower floral glume 5-7- 

 nerved, awn about twice as long as its glume, floral glume of the 

 upper floret usually 7-nerved. Grain pubescent. 



For a full account of its economic value consult Vol. 1, ]). 121, 

 Fig. 64. 



In the forms introduced into this country the bulb (or corm 



