74 



Botanical Section 



[PT I 



glumes, smooth, papery, acute, and nearly equal. The lower 

 glume has about seven conspicuous nerves, the upper one has 

 from nine to eleven. 



"Seeds''' about 15mm. long by 3mm. broad, cylindrical, 

 tapering at apex. The outer palea may be almost white, or 

 yellowish, or some shade of brown, or even of a dark-slate colour ; 

 its basal part is covered with brown or yellow hairs, and it bears 

 a twisted and bent dorsal awn of a rich brown colour (when ripe) 

 and about 30 mm. long. Eachilla long, cylindrical, outstanding, 

 and covered with fine long bristles. The grain closely resembles 



Fig. 58. "Seeds" of Avena flavescens, L. x 10. Two \iews 



that of the cultivated oat. It is some 7 mm. long, distinctly 

 grooved on its inner surface, and covered with fine hairs at its 

 apex. (Fig. 62.) 



A. strigosa, L. (Bristle-pointed Oat.) Very closely resembles 

 the wild oat and is perhaps only a variety. Its panicle is less 

 spreading, and more turned towards one side; the outer palea 

 is terminated by two long straight bristles. 



Brachypodium sylvaticum, Beauv. (Wood False Brome- 

 $.) (Fig. 66.) Common in Britain. 



A tufted perennial growing in shade or semi-shade. Foliage 



