CtASS III. OUDEEII.J BROMUS. 135- 



Root fibrous. Stem sometimes procumbent at the base, and rooting 

 from the lower joints ; the upper part erect, round, striated, slender, 

 smooth, leafy. Leaves spreading, many-ribbed, either nearly smooth 

 or clothed with short deflexed pubescence. Sheaths close, striated, 

 nearly smooth, or clothed with deflexed pubescence. Ligula short, 

 obtuse. Inflorescence a rather large, partly whorled, drooping, at 

 length pendulous panicle ; its branches roughish, subdivided, and 

 spreading ; the lowermost whorl surrounded at the base with various- 

 sized notched scales. Spikelets smooth or minutely downy, purplish. 

 Florets about eight, imbricated. Glumes unequal, sharp-pointed. 

 Glumelles nearly equai : the outer with four lateral ribs, and a keel 

 which terminates in a purplish rough awn about the length of the 

 valve ; the inner with two green lateral ciliated ribs. Stigmas feathery. 

 Anthers purple. 



Habitat. Corn-fields and rich meadows, rare. Durham, near the 

 coast. Less rare in Scotland. Near Cullenagb, Queen's County, and 

 fields near Sandy Mount, Ireland. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



** Spikelets ovate-lanceolate ; glumet unequal, ovate-lanceolate. 



7. B. squarro'sus, Linn. (Fig. 174.) Corn Brome-grass. Panicle 

 drooping, scarcely branched; spikelets somewhat compressed; 

 florets imbricated, nearly smooth ; awn the length of the floret, 

 spreading ; leaves downy. 



English Botany, t. 1885. English Flora, vol. 5. p. 155. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 31 1 . Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 52. 



Root small, fibrous. Stem erect, simple, about a foot high, smooth,, 

 striated. Leaves narrow, linear, striated, and more or less clothed with 

 soft pubescence. Sheaths short, covered with deflexed hairs. Ligula 

 short, obtuse, hairy. Inflorescence a short, nearly simple, drooping 

 panicle. Spikelets few, large, ovate, somewhat compressed, about an 

 inch long. Florets imbricated, compressed, about twelve. Glumes 

 unequal, ribbed : the outer lanceolate acute ; the inner ovate lanceo- 

 late. Glumelles nearly equal : the outer ovate oblong, the margins 

 somewhat inflexed, the apex bifid, ribs prominent, three or four on 

 each side ; the awn inserted between the bifid extremity, about as long 

 as the valve, strong, rough, twisted, and remarkably spreading; inner 

 valve obtuse, its green lateral ribs strongly ciliated. Stigmas feathery. 

 Fruit long, narrow, channelled on one side, and hairy at the apex. 



Habitat. Rare. Corn-fields in the South of England. Scotland 

 3fr. G. Don. " Not indigenous" -Hooker. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



8. B. secali'nus, Linn. (Fig. 175.) smooth Rye Brome-grass. Panicle 

 spreading, scarcely branched ; spikelets compressed ; florets about 



