570 GRAMIXEyE. (GKASS FAMILY.) 



44. II6RDEUM, L. BAULEY. 



Spikel ;ts 1 -flowered with an awl-shaped rudiment on the inner tide, 3 at each 

 joint of the rhaehis ; hut the lateral oin-s usually imperfect or abortive, and 

 short-stalked. Glumes side by side in front of the spikelets, G in number, form- 

 ing a kind of involucre, slender and a\vn-pointed or bristle-form. Palere herba- 

 ceous, the lower (anterior) convex, long-awned from the apex. Stamens 3. 

 Grain oblong, commonly adhering to the palese. Rhaehis of the dense spike 

 often separating into joints. (The ancient Latin name.) 



1. II. jtibatuin, L. (SQUIRREL-TAIL GRASS.) Low, lateral flowers 

 abortive, neutral, on a short pedicel, short-awned ; the perfect flower bearing an 

 extremely long awn (2' long) about the length of the similar capillary glumes, all 

 spreading. <) Marshes and moist sand of the sea-shore and the Northern 

 lakes. June. 



2. II. pnsillimi, Nutt. Lateral flowers imperfect and neutral, awnlcss 

 but pointed, the perfect flower bearing an awn nearly twice the length of its palea, 

 equalling the short awns of the rigid glumes, which rise, the central from an awl- 

 shaped, the middle ones from an oblong base; spike linear. ( : j Saline soil, 

 Ohio, Illinois, and westward. Too near H. maritimum of Europe. Culm 

 4' -10' high. 



H. DISTICHUM, L., is the cultivated TWO-ROWED BARLEY. H. VULG\RE, 

 L., is the common FOUR- (or Six-) ROWED BARLEY ; the lateral spikelets being 

 also fertile,* probably as a consequence of long-continued cultivation. 



SECALE CERE\LE, L., the RYE, is a well-known cultivated grain of this 

 grf up, nearly allied to the Wheat in botanical character. 



45. EL.YMUS, L. LYME-GRASS. WILD RYE. 



Spikelets 2-4 at each joint of the rhaehis, all fertile and alike, sessile, each 



1 - 7-flowered. Glumes conspicuous, nearly side by side in front of the spikelets, 



2 for each spikelet, forming an involucre to the cluster. Paleaj coriaceous ; the 

 lower rounded on the back, acute or usually awned at the apex, adherent to the 

 involving palca) (whence the name, an ancient one for some grain, from eXua>, 

 to roll up). 



* Glumes and lower paleoz rigid, loth or only the latter aimed : spikelets 1-5- 

 Jlowered : perennials, with slender culms and rather harsh foliage. 



1. E. VirginicilS, L. Spike rigidly upright, dense and thick (3' long), on 

 a short peduncle usually included in the sheath; spikelets 2-3 together, 2-3-flow 

 ered, smooth, rather short-awned, about the length of the rough and thickened 

 strongly-nerved and bristle-pointed lanceolate (//nines. River-banks; not rare. 

 Aug. Culm stout, 2 -3 high: leaves broadly linear, rough. 



2. E. CaiiadensiS, L. Spike rather loose, curving (5' -9' long), on an 

 exsertcd peduncle ; spikelets mostly in pairs, of 3-5 long-awned rough or rough- 

 hairy flowers ; the lance-awl-shapcd glumes tipped with shorter aicns. (E. Philadel- 

 phia^, L. !) Var. GLAUCIFOLIU.S (E. glaucit'.jlins, Mnlil.) is pale or glaucous 

 throughout, the flowers with more spreading awns (l' long). River-banks, 

 &c. ; common. 



