670 Git AMINES. (GRASS FAMILY.) 



44. IIORDEUM, L. Barlet. 



Spikelets 1 -flowered with an awl-shaped rudiment on the inner side, 3 ;it each 

 joint of the rhachis ; but the lateral ones usually imperfect or abortive, and 

 short-stalked. Glumes side by side in front of the spikelets, 6 in number, form- 

 ing a kind of involucre, slender and awn-pointed or bristle-form. Falese herba- 

 ceous, the lower (anterior) convex, Iong-awned from the apex. Stamens 3. 

 Grain oblong, commonly adhering to the paleae. Rhachis of the dense spike 

 often separating into joints. (The ancient Latin name.) 



1. II. jnEKsfnan, L. (Squirrel-tail Grass.) Low, lateral flowers 

 abortive, neutral, on a short pedicel, short-awned ; the perfect flower bearing an 

 extremely long aim (2' long) about the length of the similar capillary glumes, all 

 spreading. @ — Marshes and moist sand of the sea-shore and the Northern 

 lakes. June. 



2. II. pusilluill, Nutt. Lateral flowers imperfect and neutral, awnless 

 but pointed, the perfect flower bearing an cnf« nearly twice the length of its palea, 

 equalling the short awns of the rigid glumes, which rise, the central from an awl- 

 shaped, the middle ones from an oblong base; spike linear. y — Saline soil, 

 Ohio, Illinois, and westward. — Too near II. maritimum of Europe. Culm 

 4'- 10' high. 



H. distichum, L., is the cultivated Two-rowed Barley. H. vulgare, 

 L., is the common Four- (or Six-) rowed Barley ; the lateral spikelets being 

 also fertile, probably as a consequence of long-continued cultivation. 



SecAle cereale, L., the Rye, is a well-known cultivated grain of this 

 grfup, nearly allied to the Wheat in botanical character. 



45. ELYMIIS, L. Lyme-Grass. Wild Rye. 



Spikelets 2-4 at each joint of the rhachis, all fertile and alike, sessile, each 



1 - 7 -flowered. Glumes conspicuous, nearly side by side in front of the spikelets, 



2 for each spikelet, forming an involucre to the cluster. Paleae coriaceous ; the 

 lower rounded on the back, acute or awned at the apex. Grain adherent to the 

 involving palea} (whence the name, an ancient one for some grain, from e'Xva, 

 to roll up). 



* Glumes and lower palece rigid, both or only the latter awned : spikelets 1-5- 

 fiowered : perennials, with slender culms and rather harsh foliage. 



1. E. Yil'gillicUS, L. Spike rigidly upright, dense and thick (3' long), on 

 a short peduncle usually included in the sheath ; spikelets 2-3 together, 2 - 3-flow- 

 ered, smooth, rather short-awned, about the length of the rough and thickened 

 Strongly-nerved and bristle-pointed lanceolate glumes. — River-banks ; not rare. 

 Aug. — Culm stout, 2° -3° high: leaves broadly linear, rough. 



2. E. Canadensis, L. Spike rather loose, curving (5' -9' long), on an 

 exserted peduncle ; spikelets mostly in pairs, of 3 - 5 long-awned rough or rough- 

 hairy flowers; the lance-awl-shaped glumes tipped with shorter awns. (E. Philadel- 

 phia^, L. .') — Var. glaucieolius (E. glaucifolius, Muhl.) is pale or glaucous 

 throughout, the flowers with more spreading awns (l^' long). — River-banks, 

 &c. ; common. 



