GRASSES OF BRITAIN. 251 



tew rather long scattered hairs. Inflorescence racemed, never spiked 

 or panicled. Spikelets with very short footstalks arranged alternately 

 on each side of the rachis. Rachis wavy, gi'ooved, toothed. Glumes 

 two, very unequal, containing usually seven awnless florets ; large 

 glume about half the length of the spikelet, flat, obtuse, with seven or 

 eight prominent ribs ; small glume not half the size, lanceolate, acute, 

 flat, with three prominent, smooth ribs. Loicermost floret about as 

 long as the lai-ge glume : outer palea five-ribbed, the lateral ribs 

 ver}- distinctly marked, of a light green, the middle ribs imperfectly 

 seen on the lower half ; inner palea equal in length to the outer, 

 and in some instances rather longer, acute, famished with a green 

 rib on each side, and distinctly toothed- Styles two, short Stigmas 

 long and feathery. Filaments slender, three. Anthers notched at 

 each end. Scales acute. 



Explanation of Plate CXIII. Bucetum loliaceum (variety) longi- 

 glume, natural size. 



Fig. 1. Spikelet on the rachis, showing the short footstalk, and the long glume ^ 

 which is about half the length of the spikelet 



2. Large glume, showing the ribs;. 



3. Small glume. 



4. Outer palea opened, showing the five ribs. 



5. Inner palea, showing the toothed maigins. 



6. Ligule very short, auricled. 



7. Ovarium, pistils, stamens, and scales. 



I 



