GRAMINEAK 373 



margins ; glumes acuminate, keeled, strongly 6- or 7*nerved, roughish, the outer 

 margin broader ; lower palea acuminate, or mucronate, 5-nerved, smooth. 

 Hob. Pastures, and Lots. Nat. of Europe. Fl. July. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. This species which is quite distinct in habit from the 

 geniune Wheat is gradually extending itself over the County ; and 

 will no doubt become troublesome, in our cultivated grounds, by 

 reason of the great tenacity of life in its rhizomas, or creeping sub- 

 terranean stems. 



490. SEC AXE, L. >-'," 



[Latin, secare> to cut; or perhaps from the Celtic Sega, a sickle.] 

 Spikelets 2-flowered, arranged as in Trilicum. Glumes sub-opposite, 

 keeled. Lower palea awned at apex, keeled, with unequal sides, 

 the outer side broader and thicker; upper palea shorter, 2-keeled. 

 Grain free, pubescent at summit. A tall, annual, bluish-glaucous 

 grass; florets long-awned. 



1. S. CEREXLE, L. Spike compressed, linear ; glumes subulate ; 

 lower palea bristly-ciliate on the keel and outer margin. 

 HARVEST SECALE. Bye. Common Rye. 



Culm 4 to 6 feet high, hairy near the spike. Leaves 6 to 18 inches long ; sheaths 

 membranaceous, smooth ; ligvle, short, dentate. Spike 4 to 6 inches long, 2-sided 

 and flattish ; spikelets mostly 2-flowered, with an awh*like rudiment of a third. 

 Grain oblong, subcylindrical, grooved on the upper side, dusky brown. 

 Hob. Fields. Nat. of the East. Fl. June. Fr> July. 



Obs. Being in quality decidedly inferior to Wheat, this grain is 

 only partially cultivated) and that on our thin slaty soils, where it 

 succeeds best. 



491. LO'UITM, L. 



[The ancient Latin name.) 



Spikelets many-flowered, alternate, distichously arranged in a simple 

 terminal spike, with the edge of the spikelets to the common rachis. 

 Glumes (except at the terminal spikelet) only one, and that on the 

 outer side; for the rest, much resembling the Couch Grasses. 

 Grain adherent to the Upper palea, smooth. 



1. L. perenne, L. Spikelets compressed, longer than the glumes, 

 about 7-flowered; florets mostly awnless. 

 PERENNIAL LOLIUM. Rye- or Ray-grass* Darnel. 



Perennial. Culm 1 to 2 feet high, smooth. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long, shining 

 green; slieaths smooth; liguLe truncate. Spike about 6 inches long; rachis flex- 

 uose, channelled or concave opposite the spikelets. Spikelets 12 to 20, a little dis- 

 tant, each sessile in the axil of a single glume, which resembles a short rigid 

 leaf. 

 Hob. Meadows, and Lots. Nat. of Europe. Fl June. Fr* July* 



Obs. This has been introduced, as suitable for Lawns, &c. and 

 has become partially naturalized ; but it does not seem to command 

 the attention of our farmers either for pasture, or hay. STILLING- 

 FLEET says, "many are tempted by the facility of procuring the 

 seed of this grass to lay down grounds near their houses, where 

 they want to have a fine turf with it ; for which purpose, unless 

 the soil be very rich, a worse grass cannot be sown, as it will 

 certainly die off in a very few years intirely." 



