88 TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. CL. in. 



nearly smooth ; root somewhat creeping. Straws about two feet high. 



Perennial : flowers in July : grows in open fields and heaths in England : 

 rare. Eng. Bot. vol. xi. pi. 730, Bromut pinnatus. Eng. Fl. vol. i. 

 p. 150. 184. 



37. BRO'MUS. BROME-GRASS. 



Calyx of two unequal, egg-shaped or lance-shaped, acute, com- 

 pressed, awnless chaff-scales, containing an egg-shaped or oblong, 

 compressed, imbricated spikelet, of numerous, two-rowed, awned, 

 perfect flowers. Corolla of two unequal husks, the outer elliptical, 

 ribbed, longer than the calyx, cleft at the top, awned on the back 

 just below the summit, with a tapering awn, generally as long as 

 the husk; inner husk nearly as long as the outer, but much nar- 

 rower, two-ribbed, with membranous inflected margins, and a 

 fringe on the ribs. Nectary a deeply divided scale, or two distinct 

 undivided ones. Filaments hair-like, shorter than the corolla ; 

 anthers short, pendulous, notched at both ends. Germen egg- 

 shaped. Styles distant, lateral; stigmas densely feathered. Seed 

 oblong, depressed, downy at the summit, united to the inner husk. 

 Name from broma, food. 53. 



1. B. seca/mws. Smooth Rye Brome-grass. Panicle spreading, little 

 branched ; spikelets egg-shaped ; of about ten, distinct, sub-cylindrical 

 smooth flowers ; awns waved, shorter than the husks ; leaves slightly 



hairy. Straws from two to three feet high : lower branches of the 



panicle whorled and slightly subdivided, upper simple. Annual : 

 flowers in July and August : grows in corn fields: not common. En*. 

 Bot. vol. xvii. pi. 1171. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 152. 185. 



2. B. velutinus. Downy Rye Brome-grass. Panicle spreading, little 

 branched ; spikelets oblong, of from ten to fifteen crowded, elliptical, 



downy flowers ; awns as long as the husks ; leaves slightly hairy. 



Straws about two feet high : panicle with almost entirely simple branches. 

 Annual : flowers in July : grows in corn-fields : rare. Found near Edin- 

 burgh by Sir J. E. Smith. Eng. Bot. vol. xxvii. pi. 1884. Eng. Fl. 

 vol.i. p. 152. 186. 



"3. B. mollis. Soft Brome-grass. Panicle erect, close, compound ; 

 spikelets egg-shaped, slightly compressed, downy ; flowers imbricated, 

 depressed, ribbed ; awns as long as the husks ; leaves and sheaths very 



soft and downy- From one to two feet high : spikelets of from five to 



ten flowers. Biennial : flowers in June and July : grows in fields, pas- 

 tures, and bv way-sides : abundant. A coarse grass, little relished by 

 cattle. Eng" Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1078. Eng. Ft. vol. i. p. 153. 187. 



4. B. racemcsus. Smooth Brome-grass. Panicle nearly erect, spread- 

 ing, slightly branched ; spikelets between egg-shaped and oblong, smooth ; 

 flowers imbricated, depressed, ribbed ; awns as long as the husks ; leaves 



somewhat downy. From one to two feet high : spikelets of from five 



to ten flowers. Biennial : flowers in June : grows in meadows and pas- 

 tures. Probably a variety of the preceding. Eng. Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1054. 

 Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 154. 



5. B. squarrtisus. Corn Brome-grass. Panicle drooping, scarcely 

 branched ; spikelets between egg-shaped and oblong; flowers imbricated, 



depressed, ribbed ; awns spreading ; leaves downy. Straw a foot high, 



smooth, striated : spikelets few, large, tumid, with from eight to fifteen 



