710 



TRI 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



TRI 



perfectly fed, or full, plump, and bright, and whether there 

 be any adulteration proceeding from sprouted grains, smut, 

 or the seeds of weeds ; and by the smell, whether there 

 be any improper impregnation, and whether it has been too 

 much heated in the mow or upon the kiln ; and finally, by 

 the feel, to decide if the grain be sufficiently dry, as when 

 much loaded with moisture it is improper for the uses of 

 the miller and baker. In cases where a sample handles 

 coarse, rough, and does not slip readily in the hand, it may 

 be concluded not to be in a condition either for grinding or 

 keeping. 



3. Triticum Compositum ; Many-spiked Wheat. Spikes 

 compound; spikelets crowded; corollas awned ; awns three 

 or four inches long; glumes smooth. It is suspected to be 

 a variety of the preceding species. Native of Egypt, culti- 

 vated at Naples. 



4. Triticum Turgidum ; Turgid or Cone Wheat. Calix 

 four-flowered, tumid, villose, imbricated, obtuse, with a short 

 point. The corolla varies with or without long awns. The 

 silky or villose glumes alone distinguish this from the varie- 

 ties of the second species. Native country unknown. 



5. Triticum Polonicum ; Polish Wheat. Calix three or 

 four flowered, pointed, naked, lanceolate, like the corolla, 

 which is compressed, with a long awn. That this is a dis- 

 tinct species there can be no doubt: the strength of the 

 whole plant, its large ears, and long narrow scarcely tumid 

 glumes, readily distinguish it at first sight. It was culti- 

 vated in this country at the latter part of the seventeenth 

 century, and is still retained by the curious in botanic ga'r- 

 dens ; but being easily laid by rain, is not so much valued 

 by the farmer. Native country unknown. 



6. Triticum Spelta ; Spelt Wheat. Calix imperfectly four- 

 flowered, elliptical, obliquely pointed, shorter than the long 

 awned corolla. The glumes are very glaucous. It is chiefly 

 cultivated in the south of Europe, and is given to horses in 

 Spain, when Barley is scarce. It makes but a dry bread, 

 yet is excellent for pastry. Native country unknown. 



7. Triticum Monococcum ; Single-grained Wheat, or St. 

 Peter's Corn. Calix angular, strongly toothed, about three- 

 flowered ; first floret awned, intermediate one imperfect. This 

 species is cultivated in the most mountainous parts of Swit- 

 zerland. The neat quadrangular form of the ripe ear, as if 

 carved out of ivory, is remarkable. The straw is hard, firm, 

 fit for thatching; and the flour rather better than that of the 

 preceding, making good, though not white bread, and being 

 chiefly esteemed for gruel. Native country unknown. 



8. Triticum Prostratum ; Trailing Wheat-Grass. Spike 

 ovate, compressed, two-ranked ; glumes of the calix and 

 corolla strongly keeled, longer than their awns. A hardy 

 annual, flowering in June. The spikes sometimes fall off 

 entire, and vegetate in the sand, producing a tuft of decum- 

 bent slender plants, from three to six inches long, with narrow 

 slightly downy leaves ; they are solitary, terminal, about half 

 an inch long, smooth ; spikelets ten or twelve, closely imbri- 

 cated, furrowed, incurved ; awns of the calix awl-shaped, 

 nearly as long as those of the corolla. Found in the most 

 barren sandy deserts near the Caspian Sea. 



9. Triticum Tenellum ; Dwarf Wheat-Grass. Spike sim- 

 ple, linear; spikelets alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, awnless; 

 calix furrowed ; corolla even, emarginate ; leaves bristle- 

 shaped. Root annual, of a few woolly fibres ; stems one or 

 more, erect, straight, from four to eighteen inches high, 

 scarcely branched, leafy, with several dark brown joints. 

 Native of Switzerland and the south of France. 



10. Triticum Unilateral ; Unilateral Wheat-Grass. Spike 

 simple, linear ; spikelets alternate, close, turned to one side ; 



calix unequal, taper-pointed ; corolla short-awned, smooth. 

 Root annual, of many capillary fibres, partly downy; stems 

 numerous, a span high, scarcely branched, smooth, leafy; 

 leaves narrow, channelled, ribbed ; spikes solitary, long, 

 slender, curved, of numerous close spikelets. Native of 

 Syria, Italy, and the south of France. 



11. Triticum Hispanicum ; Little Spanish Wheat-Grass. 

 Spike simple, linear; spikelets alternate, close, turned to 

 one side; glumes all downy; calix unequal, taper-pointed; 

 corolla with an awn exceeding its own length. Suspected to 

 to be a mere variety of the last species. Found in Spain. 



12. Triticum Maritimum ; Sea Wheat-Grass. Spikes pani- 

 cled ; spikelets many-flowered, compressed; florets linear- 

 lanceolate, ribbed, pointed, awnless. Root annual, of many 

 woolly fibres ; stems branched from the base, leafy, a foot 

 high, more or less bent at the joints, and partly decumbent ; 

 often purplish, as well as the sheaths of the leaves, and 

 branches of the panicle ; leaves longish and tapering, narrow, 

 striated, smooth ; sheaths broader than the leaves, but much 

 shorter; stipula membranous, torn, decurrent; panicle about 

 three inches long, forked, with many spreading, spiked, tri- 

 angular, smooth branches. Native of sea-coasts of the south 

 of France, Greece, and Egypt. 



13. Triticum Loliaceum; Dwarf Sea Wheat-Grass. Spike 

 mostly simple, unilateral; spikelets many-flowered, com- 

 pressed ; florets elliptical, obtuse, awnless, with marginal 

 ribs ; stem branched ; root annual. This is very nearly allied 

 to Poa Rigida; nor is the position of their spikelets dissimi- 

 lar. Found upon the sandy sea-beach on the east and south 

 coasts of England, as well as in Italy. 



14. Triticum Unioloides; Elegant Wheat-Grass. Spike 

 simple, close; spikelets many-flowered, ovate, compressed ; 

 florets closely imbricated, ovate, acute, keeled, awnless, with 

 central lateral ribs. Stems mostly simple, a span high, some- 

 times purple ; leaves lanceolate, taper-pointed, flat. It is an 

 annual, and most elegant grass, remarkable for its large, flat, 

 closely imbricated, sharp-edged spikelets, which resemble 

 those of Poa Eragrostis. Found on the sea-coasts of Italy, 

 Sicily, and Barbary. 



** Root Perennial. 



15. Triticum Junceum; Sea Rushy Wheat-Grass. Calix 

 abrupt, five-flowered; leaves involute, sharp-pointed; root 

 creeping. The roots being long, stringy, and tough, and 

 fixed by woolly fibres, co-operate with Carex Arencria, Ely- 

 mus Arenarius, &c. in fixing the sand, and forming a barrier 

 against the encroachments of the ocean. The whole plant 

 is very glaucous, hard, and rigid, with spinous pointed 

 leaves, strongly furrowed on their upper side ; stems two 

 feet high, very smooth, often tinged with violet in the lower 

 part, and very smooth ; spikes solitary, of several alternate 

 flat spikelets. Found on all the sandy shores of Europe. 



16. Triticum Distichum ; Two-ranked Cape Wheat-Grass. 

 Calix four-flowered, smooth, awnless; flowers two-ranked; 

 leaves thread-shaped. Native of the Cape. 



17. Triticum Repens ; Creeping Wheat-Grass, or Couch 

 Grass. Calix awl-shaped, many-ribbed, five-flowered ; florets 

 pointed ; leaves flat ; root creeping. Stems two feet high, 

 slender; herbage green, except in the maritime variety; 

 spikes two or three inches long, smaller in every part than 

 those of the 15th species. This grass is too common in all 

 kinds of cultivated ground throughout Europe, flowering in 

 summer and autumn. Its long and deeply creeping roots 

 are of all things the most difficult to destroy; yet when 

 collected in sufficient quantities, they afford wholesome 

 nourishment for cattle, and in some countries have been 

 made into bread in famines. 





