88 



Botanical Section 



[PT i 



Flowers about the latter part of May or early in June. Culms 

 erect, 2 to 3 feet high. Panicle about 6 to 8 inches long, becoming 

 moderately open at time of flowering, and of a silvery-grey hue 

 when seed is ripening. Spikelets large, linear-lanceolate, con- 

 taining from four to six flowers. Empty glumes unequal, lanceo- 

 late and acute, the upper and larger one two-nerved; both have 

 prominent keels. 



"Seeds" "barge-shaped," 9-12 mm. long, and about 2-5 mm. 

 broad. Outer palea with rounded-on 7 keel, and 2-3 

 rather indistinct nerves on either side; glabrous, 

 or with a few short silky hairs. The dorsal nerve 

 (keel) may project beyond the apex as a short 

 awn-point. Inner palea very thin and mem- 

 branous, except at the marginal folds where ridges 

 (nerves) occur with a hairy fringe. Rachilla cylin- 

 drical, thickening upwards and evenly covered with 

 silky hairs. Caryopsis 7-9 mm. long and about 

 1-8 mm. broad, pointed below, and rounded at the 

 top end which is densely covered with hairs. The 

 grain is very much flattened, and has a shallow 

 longitudinal cavity on its ventral surface with a 

 fine ridge running along its middle. (Fig. 82.) 



Bromus Schraderi, Kunth. (Schrader's Brome- 

 grass.) See also p. 142. 



Like tbe last species this is not a British plant, 

 but is sometimes grown as a forage crop. A rather 

 coarse perennial grass growing in irregular tufts. 

 Sheaths entire, keeled, the lower ones densely 

 covered with fine silky hairs, the upper ones more 

 or less glabrous. Young shoots flattened; blades 

 folded, long, very acuminate, and rough. The lower surface of 

 the blade has a prominent keel, and is slightly hairy ; the upper 

 surface is more densely hairy. Ligule membranous, white, pro- 

 minent but blunt. Auricles wanting. 



Flowers in June. Culms two feet or more in length, standing 

 out obliquely from the ground. Panicle 6-12 inches long, 

 moderately close in structure. Spikelets large, long, narrow- 

 ovate containing four or five flowers. Empty glumes rather 



Fig. 83. "Seed' 

 of Bromus 8ch 

 raderi. x 4. 



