Vit] FLORAL CHARACTERS Ws 
Tall annual corn-weed, with large (18— 
20 mm.) heavy, pendent, hairy spikelets on 
the long slender stalks of the lax open 
panicle. Leaves glabrous. 
A. fatua, L. 
This is the so-called Wild Oat, and the type of this group. 
== Tufted perennials with spikelets more or less 
erect on stiffer stalks, the panicle therefore 
less open. 
z Panicle nearly simple; spikelets silvery or 
reddish, 12—15 mm. long. 
A. pratensis, L. 
zz Panicle branched but not very open; 
spikelets glistening yellow and only 
5—6 mm. long. 
A. flavescens, L. 
There is no other genus closely resembling Avena. The 
superficial likeness of some Bromes disappears at once on exami- 
nation. The spikelets of Azra are much smaller, and the leaves 
quite different (see below and p. 47). 
©© Awns fine and hair-like and not con- 
spicuously protruding from the spike- 
lets; the latter small, 2—5 mm. Flowers 
two in each sprkelet. 
Aira. 
= Coarse and tall tufted grass with flattened, 
harsh, and conspicuously ribbed leaves: the 
very short awns hardly protruding. 
A. ceespitosa, L. 
No other grass can be confused with this if the very high ridges 
of the leaves are observed (see p. 47). 
== Small grasses with setaceous or very narrow 
inrolled leaves. Awns slightly protruding. 
