438 GRA MINE^E. [ A v r. v A . 



glumes 2, equalling the flowering, subequal, rather membranous, 1-11- 

 nerved. Fl. glumes pedicelled, more rigid, rounded at the back or 

 2-cuspidate, 2*-fid with a long bent and twisted awn from the sinus. 

 Palea 2-nerved. Scales 2-fid. Stamens 3. Ovary hirsute at the top 

 (except A. flavcscens) ; styles distant, stigmas feathery. Fruit furrowed, 

 free or adherent to the glume, top usually hairy. DISTRIB. Temp, and 

 cold regions ; species 33. ETYM. The old Latin name. 



SUB-GEN*. 1. Ave'na proper, fijp&efc&sobterete. Fl. glumes not keeled ; 

 lowest flower 2-sexual. Fruit hairy at the top. 



* Annual. Spikelets at length drooping. Empty glumes 5-ll-nerved. 



1. A. fat'ua, L. ; spikelets 3-flowered, empty glumes 9-nerved, fl. 

 glume below and pedicels hairy. 



Corn-fields ; common in Great Britain ; rare and local in Ireland ; a colonist, 

 Watson; fl. June-Aug. Stem 1-3 ft, stout, smooth ; nodes hairy. Leaves 



flat, scaberulous ; sheaths smooth ; ligule short, torn. Panicle 6-10 in., 



equally spreading ; branches whorled, scabrid. Spikelets 1 in., green. Fl. 



glumes 2-ftd, with long fulvous hairs below ; half as long as the brown awn. 



DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, Siberia, N.W. India. 



A. STRIGO'SA, Schreb. ; spikelets 2-flowered, empty glumes 7-9-nerved, 

 fl. glumes and pedicels glabrous. 

 Corn-fields, rare, not indigenous ; fl. June-July. Smaller and more slender 



than A.fatota; leaves sometimes hairy ; panicle unilateral ; branches fewer ; 



fl. glume more deeply 2-fid, segments awned. DISTRIB. Of A . fat,i. 

 ** Perennial. Spikelets siiberect. Empty glumes \-&-nerved. 



2. A. praten sis, L. ; leaves glaucous glabrous, lower branches of 

 panicle 2-nate with 1-2 3-6-flowered spikelets. 



Moors and dry pastures, from Ross and Skye to Devon and Kent ; ascending 

 to about 2,200 ft. in the Highlands ; absent from Ireland ; fl. June-July. 

 Root fibrous, stoloniferous. Stems ^-3 ft., erect, scaberulous, bent at the 

 base. Leaves flat or involute ; lower sheaths more or less scabrid ; ligule 

 ovate, acute. Panicle racemose, contracted after flowering. Spikelets 

 ^-$ in., pale, shining ; fl. glume scabrid ; pedicel silky ; awn faintly bent, 

 equalling the glume. 



VAR. 1, praten! sis proper, leaves involute, sheaths terete nearly smooth. VAR. 



2. alnHna, Sm. (sp.); leaves flat, lower sheaths much compressed. A. 

 planiculmis, Sm. not Schrad. Mountains. 



3. A. pube'cens, L. ; leaves pubescent, lower branches of panicle 

 5-nate with 2-4 3-flowered spikelets. 



Dry pastures, especially on limestone and chalk ; ascending to 1,600 ft. in N. 

 of England ; fl. June-July. Habit of A. pratemis, but less densely tufted ; 

 leaves flatter; sheaths very pubescent; awns more spreading. DISTRIB. 

 Europe, Siberia. 



SUB-GEM. 2. Trise'tum, Pers. (gen.). Perennial. Spikelets compressed. 

 Fl. glume keeled, lowest flower 2-sexual. Fruit glabrous, deeply fur- 

 rowed, free. 



4. A. flaves cens, L. ; panicle open, branches in ^-whorls, fl- glume 

 2-cuspidate 3 -awned. 



