140 GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 



being very short and obtuse ; spikelets without footstalks, and of three 

 or four florets ; — whereas in A. arundinacea the ligule is very long 

 and pointed ; spikelets with footstalks and of only one floret. 



This grass, says Mr Sinclair, may justly be considered as the su- 

 gar cane of Britain, as it is remarkable for the large quantity of sac- 

 charine matter it contains. It must necessarily render the hay made 

 from this grass very nutritious, particularly when cut into chaff and 

 mixed with corn or common hay. It grows naturally on the drifted 

 sands of the sea-coast, where it is of great value in arresting and 

 collecting the spreading of the loose sand, forming an eflfectual 

 barrier to repel the encroachments of the sea. It is a frequent 

 grass along some parts of the sandy shores of Scotland and 

 Ireland. In England it occurs along the coast of Northumberland, 

 Durham, Cumberland, Lincoln, Carnarvon, Cardigan, Norfolk, Dor- 

 set, and Devon ; also a native of Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Ger- 

 many, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Iceland, and British America. 

 It has not been discovered in the United States. 



Flowers in the second week of July, and ripens its seed about the 

 end of August. 



93. LOLIUM TEMULENTUM. 



Bearded Rye- Grass. 



Specific Characters. — Florets awned. Glume longer than the 

 spikelet. (Plate LXIV.) 



Description. — It grows to the height of two feet. The root is an- 

 nual, fibrous. Stem round, smooth, (sometimes roughish), bearing 

 four leaves with smooth striated sheaths ; the upper sheath shorter than 

 its leaf, crowned with a short obtuse ligule. Joints four, smooth. 

 Leaves flat, lanceolate, acute, rough on both surfaces, except at the 

 base of the under surface ; the margins minutely toothed. Inflores- 

 cence spiked. Spike erect, about a span long. Spikelets sessile, ar- 

 ranged alternately in two rows on the ziz-zag rough rachis, of four 

 or five awned florets. Calyx of one glume, (sometimes accompanied 

 with a very short inner glume), long and narrow, with eight ribs, 



* Lulium temulentum, Linn., Koch, Smith, Hooker Lindloy. 



