454 GRAMINEtf. [TRITICUM. 



VAR. 1, liitorefum, Schum. (sp.) ; glaucous, leaves involute, rachis of spike 

 smooth. T. littorale, Host. Intermediate between T. repens and jn<; H,,,. 

 Sea-shores. VAR. 2, nemora'le ; rootstock less creeping, spike more slender, 

 rachis often pubescent, spikelets narrower, awns longer. Woods, &c. Very 

 like T. caninum, but creapiug and glumes 5-ribbed. 



3. T. jun'ceum, L. ; rootstock creeping, spike fragile, spikelets large 

 shining, empty glumes 5-11-ribbed, fl. glumes 4-10 obtuse acute notched 

 or truncate rarely mucronate. 



Sandy sea-shores ; fl. July-Aug. Often glaucous, rigid, forming: dense masses. 

 Rootstock stout, extensively creeping. Stems bent below, ascending, smooth, 

 sheathed at the base. Leaves coriaceous, involute, pubescent above, gla- 

 brous beneath ; sheaths smooth, rather inflated ; ligule short. Spike 2- 

 4 in., stout, curved ; rachis very stout, smooth. Spikelets f-1^ in., distant, 

 very stout, pale, rigidly coriaceous, smooth, shining ; empty glumes strongly 

 or faintly nerved ; flowering obscurely so. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, N. 

 America ? A most variable grass. The above diagnosis refers to its more 

 typical state ; the following sub-species diverge towards T. repens, var. 

 littoreum, under which they had best perhaps be placed. 



Sub-sp. ACU'TUM, DC. (sp. ); ascending, leaves scabrid, empty glumes 5-7- 

 ribbed obtuse, flowering 5-S obtuse mucronfite or shortly awned. 



Sub-sp. PUN'GENS, Pers. (sp. ) ; suberect, leaves very scabrid pungent, spikelets 

 much smaller, empty glumes shorter stoutly 7-9-ribbed, flowering 5-12 

 acute. 



38. LO'LIUM, L. RYE-GRASS. 



Characters of Triticum, but upper empty glume absent except in 

 the terminal spikelet; lower persistent, facing the rachis. DISTRIB. N. 

 temp, regions ; species 4. ETYM. An old Latin name. 



1. It. peren'ne, L. ; rootstock perennial, empty glume shorter than the 

 8-15-fld. spikelet, awns short or 0. 



Waste places; ascending to 1,600 ft. in the N. of England; fl. May-June. 

 Root fibrous, stolons leafy. Stems 18 in., bent below, ascending, smooth, 

 slightly compressed. Leaves flat, edges and upper surface scabrid ; sheaths 

 smooth, compressed ; ligule short. Kpike 4-10 in., strict, very slender ; 

 rachis smooth, channelled on one side. Spikelets ^-^ in. (much longer in 

 var. italicum), quite smooth, shining ; empty glumes strongly ribbed, 

 linear-lanceolate, fl. glume linear-oblong, terete, obtuse or cuspidate or 

 awned, ribbed. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia ; introd.inN. America. 

 L. italicum, A. Br.; L.mnltiflorum, Lamk. ; and L. pertnne, var. arislatum, 

 are cultivated annual or biennial forms of this species, with many flowers, 

 not known in a wild state. 



2. Ii. temulen'tum, L. ; annual, empty glume equalling or exceeding 

 the 5-7-fld. spikelets, awn long. Darnel. 



Corn-fields, from Isla and Elgin southwards; a colonist, Watson; fl. June 

 Aug. Very similar to L. perenne, but always annual, without stolons, empty 

 glume longer, and flowering glumes more turgid. DISTRIB. Europe, N. 

 Africa, W. Siberia, India ; introd. in N. America. Very poisonous. 



VAR. arven'se, With, (sp.); awn short or 0. L. linicola, Sond. 



