140 AVENA. [CLASS in. ORDER u. 



green, rougbish. Sheaths close, striated, and smooth. Ligula obtuse> 

 torn. Inflorescence an erect, rather close panicle; its branches scarcely 

 subdivided, rough, slender, all turned to one side, abruptly swollen at 

 the extremity. Spikelets two, very rarely three or four-flowered. 

 Glumes nearly equal, thin, membranous, smooth, except a slight 

 roughness on its numerous ribs ; the margins and point white, very 

 thin. Florets elevated on a short smooth footstalk, that of the second 

 having near its extremity a lateral tuft of hairs. Glumelles unequal : 

 the outer concave, lanceolate, bifid at the extremity ; the points long, 

 narrow, terminating in two rough purplish awns, besides the dorsal 

 awn, which is nearly as long again as the valve, and inserted above its 

 middle ; the valve is smooth, sometimes slightly scattered over with flat 

 twisted hairs, obscurely ribbed, except towards the point, where it is 

 also roughish : inner valve lanceolate, flat, with two lateral downy ribs 

 and a bifid apex. Stigmas short, feathery. 



Habitat. Frequent in corn-fields in England, Scotland, and Wales. 

 Near Cork, Ireland Mr. J. Drummond, 



Annual; flowering in June and July. 



The habit and size of this species have a greater resemblance to the 

 cultivated Oat, A. sativa, than the last; but its oblong, rather crowded, 

 one-sided panicle, and the awned extremity of the florets, essentially 

 distinguish it from all other species, and give the whole panicle a 

 remarkably strigose or bristly appearance ; hence its specific name. 



3. A. pralen'sis, Linu. (Fig. 181.) narrow-leaved Oat-grass. Panicle 

 an erect, nearly simple raceme ; spikelets erect ; florets from three 

 to five, longer than the glumes ; leaves long, narrow, smooth 

 except on the margins, the lower ones with the margins closely 

 rolled inwards. 



English Botany, t. 1204. English Flora, vol. i. p. 155. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 310. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 53. Sinclair, Hort. 

 Gram. Woburn. p. 312. 



Root fibrous, tufted. Stems erect, several from the same root, tufted, 

 from one to three feet high, striated, smooth, with a single joint near 

 the base, from whence arises the upper and almost only leaf of the 

 stem, which is very short, narrow, striated ; the sheath very long, close, 

 deeply striated, smooth, except a slight roughness upon the edge qf the 

 stria. The lower leaves long, tufted, narrow; the margins closely rolled 

 inwards, and minutely serrated ; their sheaths short, and enveloped in 

 the withered remains of the older ones. Inflorescence an erect, simple 

 raceme, or a slightly branched panicle ; the upper spikelets sessile, the 

 lower on simple or branched, angular, and rough stalks. Glumes un- 

 equal, lanceolate, with a long narrow point, frequently terminating in 

 a roughish awn, each with two smooth lateral ribs and a keel, rough 

 towards the extremity. Florets from three to fiwe or six, each upon a 

 short stalk, the upper part clothed with short, stiff, white, shining hairs. 



