

GRAMINEAE 377 



1. A. SATIVA, L. Panicle regular ; spikelets 2-flowered, pendulous ; 

 florets shorter than the glumes, naked at base. 

 CULTIVATED AVENA. Common Oats. 



Annual, Culm 2 to 4 feet high, smooth, and rather soft. Leaves 6 to 15 inches 

 long, rough; sheatlis smooth, somewhat loose; ligule lacerate. Spikelets all pedun- 

 culate ; lower floret mostly awned near the bifid apex ; upper floret awnless, with 

 a pedicel at the base of the upper palea, bearing at its summit membranaceoua 

 rudiments of a third floret. Grain closely invested by the smooth, shining, sub- 

 coriaceous paleae, and slightly adherent to the upper one. 

 Hob. Fields. Native Country uncertain. Fl. July. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. The great English Lexicographer defined Oats as being the 

 food of Horses, in England, and of People, in Scotland. Dr. DARWIN, 

 also, seemed by the following couplet, to regard the plant as some- 

 what Scottish, in its associations: 



" Two Sister-nymphs, the fair AVENAS, lead 

 Their fleecy squadrons on the lawns of Tweed." 



The Founders of the Edinburgh Review had reference to the same 

 Johnsonian idea, when they thought of adopting for a motto 

 " Tenui Musam meditamur Avend." 



And it was, doubtless, while those Reviewers were supping their 

 thin Parritch, that the interesting inquiry occurred to them "Who 

 reads an American Book?"* On our side of the Atlantic, the 

 Avena is cultivated almost entirely as a pabulum for Farm Stock, 

 and has, as yet, very little connection with our Literature. 



DIVISION II. PHALARID'EAE. 



Spikelets more or less panicled, somewhat 3-flowered, with the middle floret, only, 

 perfect, the lower and terminal ones (or the apparently lateral ones) imperfect 

 either staminate, rudimentary, or neutral ; or sometimes the terminal floret, per- 

 fect, and the two lower ones imperfect. 



Jl. Middle floret perfect. 

 498. ARRHEtf ATHE V RIJM, Beauvois. 



[Gr. Arrhen, male, and At her, awn ; the staminate floret being awned.] 

 Spikelets 2-flowered, with the rudiment of a third, terminal one ; 

 middle floret perfect, the lower palea convex, with a short awn near 

 the slightly bifid apex ; lowest floret staminate only, the lower 

 palea convex, bearing a long twisted awn on the back, below the 

 middle ; otherwise nearly as in Avena. 



1. A. AVENACEUM, Beauv. Leaves flat; panicle linear-oblong, con- 

 tracted, finally spreading ; glumes unequal, the lower one shorter 

 than the florets. 



Avena elatior. L. $ Fl. Cestr. ed. 2. p. 66. 

 OAT-LIKE ARRHENATHERUM. Tall Oat-grass. 



Perennial. Rhizoma nodose, creeping. Culms about 3 feet high, smooth. Leaves 

 4 to 8 or 10 inches long, rough on the upper surface ; sheaths smooth ; ligule short, 

 retuse. Panicle 6 to 9 inches long, finally somewhat nodding. 

 Hab. Meadows, and lots : cultivated. Nat. of Europe. FL May. Fr. July. 



* Since that inquiry was made, however, it js believed that gome American 

 Books have been read ; and, it is said, some curious people have even been seen 

 going to look at an "American Statue." 



