HORDED. 



641 



An erect glaucous annual, with sleuder but stiff culms 1-2 m. 

 high. Glumes 1-uerved. 



A valuable cereal, the grain inferior to that of wheat. Much 

 grown in cool regions where the land is light and poor; also grown 

 as a forage-crop and for green manuring. See Yol. I. 



141. (268). TriticitmL. Sp. PI. 85 (1753). Wheat. ("Corn" 

 in England.) ^Egilops L. Coroll. Gen. 20 (1837). Bromus Scop. 

 Introd. 71 (1777). Crithodmm Liuk, Limieea, 9:132 (1834). 

 Cryptopijrum Heynh. Nom. 2 : 174 (1846). 



Spikelets 2-5-flowered, the fertile ones inflated, distichous, 

 sessile, somewhat compressed, single at the alternate notches of the 



Fig. 121. — Secale cereale. Spikelet. (Richardson.) 



rachis of a simple spike, one side of the spikelet next the rachis; 

 rachilla often jointed between the flowers, 1-5 of the lower flowers 

 perfect, the upper often male or neuter. Emjity glumes firm, shorter 

 and often narrower than the floral glume, usually inequilateral, with 

 few nerves, awn short or none, floral glume ventricose, broadly 

 oblong, round on the back or keeled above, often toothed or awned, 

 5-9-nerved, nerves not meeting at the apex; palea shorter than its 

 glume, with two ciliate keels. Stamens 3. Styles 2, very short, 

 stigmas plumose. Grain ovoid or oblong, usually villous at the 

 apex, with a groove on the inside, included by the glume and palea, 

 not adhering to them or slightly adhering to the jialea. Erect 



