50 



LOL 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



LO N 



the calix ; valve superior, shorter, linear, more obtuse, con- 

 cave upwards; nectary two-leaved; leaflets ovate, obtuse, 

 gibbous at the base. Stamina : filmiienla three, capillary, 

 shorter than ihe corolla ; antherae oblong. Pistil: germen 

 top-shaped; styles two, capillary, reflex; stigmas plumose. 

 Pericarp: none. Corolla cherishes the seed, gapes, lets it 

 fall. Seed: single, oblong, convex on one side, furrowed, 

 flat on Ihe other, compressed. Observe. The sessile spikes 

 are placed in the same plane with the culm ; hence the stem 

 Dears the office of a second calicine valve, deficient and oppo- 

 site.- The species are, 



1. Lolium Pereune ; Perennial Darnel, or Ray Grass. 

 Spikes awnless; spikelets compressed, longer than the calix, 

 and composed of several flowers; root perennial, creeping; 

 stems several from the same root. They are frequently rus- 

 set-coloured at the joints. The spike is -generally flat, but 

 sometimes nearly cylindrical. The number of flowers in each 

 spikdet varies from three or four, to six, seven, or eight, and 

 even sometimes nine, ten, and eleven; but six or seven is 

 the most common number. This species was probably 

 selected for cultivation because it is common, and the seuds 

 are easily collected. In reply to the objections brought 

 against this grass, Mr. Curtis judiciously remarks, that 

 although jt may not possess all that is desirable in a grass, it 

 ought not therefore to be indiscriminately rejected. The 

 complaint so generally urged against it, of its producing little 

 more than stalks or bents, will be only found valid when the 

 plant grows in upland pasture : in rich moist meadows its 

 foliage is more abundant, and it seems to be the general 

 opinion of Agriculturists, that it is highly nutritious and 

 acceptable to cattle. Certainly it is not adapted to all soils 

 and situations equally. Several sorts may even be preferable 

 toil; and though early, it is not the first that springs; not 

 only the Vernal; but ihe Fox-tail and Meadow Grasses, all 

 excellent in their kind, appearing earlier than this. Ray 

 Grass is, notwithstanding, valuable both as 'an early seed, and 

 as belli" fit to mow for hay a fortnight before tnixt grasses. 

 For the latter use, the abundance of stalks is an excellence, 

 provided the grass be cut whilst the sap is in them, the chief 

 nutriment of hay residing in these. This grass is usually 

 sown with clover, upon such lands as arc designed to be 

 ploughed again in a few years, and the common method is to 

 sow it with Spring Com; but from many repeated trials, it 

 has always been found, that by sowing their seeds in August, 

 'when a few showers have fallen, the crop has answered much 

 tetter than any sown in the conimon way ; for the grass has 

 often been so rank, as to afford a good feed the same autumn: 

 and in the following spring there has been a ton and half of 

 hav per acre mowed very early in the season, and tMs lias 

 been upon cold sour land : this proves it to foe tile best season 

 for sowing these grasses, though it will be very difficult to 

 persuade those persons to adopt this practice who have been 

 long wedded to old customs. The necessary quantity of seed 

 is about two bushels, and eight pounds of the common clever, 

 to an acre. This will produce as good plants as can be 

 desired ; but is not to be practised upon lands where the 

 beauty of the verdure is principally regarded, but only where 

 profit is the main end iti view. When this grass is fed, mow- 

 oft' Ihe bents in the beginning of June, otherwise they will 

 dry upon the ground, and have the appearance of a stubble 

 field all the latter part of summer; and they "'ill not only 

 be disagreeable to the siyht, but troublesome to the cattte, 

 wtio will not touch them. By permitting them to stand, the 

 after growth of the grass is greatly retarded, and the beauti- 

 ful verdure lost for three or four months; so that it is good 

 husbandry to mow tbe bents before they grow too dry, and 



rake them oft' the ground : if they are then made into hay, 

 it will serve for cart-horses or dry cows in the winter. This 

 plant is common in most parts of Europe, by way-sides, and 

 in pastures, flowering in June. If is called Ray Grass from 

 Ir.rair, the name given to the third species by the French, 

 who call this Fatisst frraie. Ray calls it, Red Darnel Grass ; 

 it is sometimes called ('raft; in Devonshire, Eaver ; in Nor- 

 folk, ll'hite Nonesuch. The Germans give it many names, 

 Perrnnirendf, or Dauernde L,olc/t, Winlrr Lolch, Swsner Lolch, 

 Eng&XcAf Rrygrasi, &c. ; the Danes call it, Raigrtes; the 

 Swedes, Renrepe, Engelmans Kijt'gros ; the Italians, Log/io 

 Virare, Loglio Salratiro, Fenice ; the Spaniards, JiiiUico, 

 Vallico ; the Portuguese, Joyo Vivace; and the Russians, 

 Pschanez. 



2. Lolium Tenue. Spike awnless, round ; spikelets three- 

 flowered. This is smaller than the preceding, and is distin- 

 guished by the tenuity of the culm and spike. Native of 

 Frahce and Germany. 



;5. Lolium Temulentum ; Annual Darnel, or R/iy Grass. 

 Spike awned ; spikelets compressed, many-flowered ; root 

 annual; steins or culms fiom two to three fret high, upright. 

 There is a variety without awns, and with a smooth culm, 

 which Withering makes a distinct species, under the name of 

 White- Darnel. Though there can be no doubt that the Peren- 

 nial and Annual Daniel are distinct species, yet we are at a 

 loss lor specific distinctions; for the first has sometimes awns 

 to the flowers, and the latter very often none. It is, however, 

 besides being annual, taller and larger in everv respect, and 

 of a paler hue. Its place of growth is also different ; for it is 

 a weed among corn, especially wheat and barley ; and also 

 among flax: flowering in July and August. The flour of the 

 seeds, mixed with wheat-flour, disorders the human body, pro- 

 ducing vomiting, purging,' and violent colics; but it has not 

 a sensible effect unless taken in considerable quantity ; or, 

 as Linneus says, unless it be eaten hot. The seed, malted 

 with barley, soon occasion drunkenness: hence the French 

 name Jar ait ; and, by corruption, our English flay. In York- 

 shire, it is called Drake; and in Ireland, Sturdy. The Ger- 

 mans call it ,/akrige Lolch, and Grrmaine Lolch, with about 

 thirty other names; the Danes, Heyre and llei/regrtrs, &c, 

 the Swedes, Darrepe ; the Italians, Loglifl, Gioglio, and Zi- 

 -aniu; the Spaniards, Joyo, Cizana, and Zizana ; the Portu- 

 guese, Joyo, Ziznnia Bnstarda, and the Russians, Kvkol. In 

 this enlightened age, it can scarcely be necessary to correct an 

 old vulgar error, that wheat degenerates into this grass. The 

 fact is, that in very wet seasons, and among very bad hus- 

 bandmen, the Darnel has so far prevailed, as to suffocate the 

 wheat, and to take its place. Celsus recommends the meal 

 of Lolium to be used in poultices, in conimon with that of 

 wheat, fur bailey and lentil. Those who do not keep theit 

 wheat free from this Darnel, which is sown along with the 

 seed of wheat, and may be separated from it by the sieve, are 

 guilty of unpardonable negligence ; as it is very injurious, and 

 may be easily extirpated. 



4. Lolium Bromoides; Sea Darnel. Panicle simple, point- 

 ing one way ; spikelets awned ; root annual ; culms several, 

 from six inches to a foot high. It flowers in June and July. 

 Native of England, in loose sand on the sea coast. 



5. Lolium Distacbyon. Spikes in pairs; calices one- 

 ilnwfied; corollas woolly; culms decumbent, branched at 

 the base. Native of Malabar. 



Lonchitis; a jjenus of the class Crvptogamia, order Filices. 

 GENERicCnARACTKB. Capsules : disposed in lumilated 

 lilies, lying cnder the sinuses of the frond. These Fefns, being 

 natives of very hot climates, must be planted in pots, nud 

 plunged into the bark-pit: they way be increased by parting 



