HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 397 



LOLIUM temulentum. Annual Rye-grass, Bearded Ray-grass, 

 Bearded Darnel. 



Specific character : Awns longer than the corolla ; spikelets 

 shorter than the calyx ; florets elliptical ; stem rough in the 

 upper part. Sm. Engl. Fl. i. p. 174; Hort. Gram. Fol. 299. 

 Fig. 1. Spikelet. 2. Lower Calyx, with its occasional 

 elliptical appendage. 3. Floret. 4. Germen, Styles, and 

 Nectary. 



Obs. This is distinguished from the perennial rye-grass by its 

 bearded or awned spikelets, by the roughness of the stem 

 and leaves ; leaves broader, of a paler green colour. For the 

 distinguishing marks of the seed, see pp. 25 and 31. 



Native of Britain. Root perennial. Flo. Rust. 33 ; Flo. Dan. 

 160; Engl. Bot. 



Experiments. At the time of flowering, the produce from a 

 rich sandy loam is 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. Ibs. 



Grass, 20 oz. The produce per acre - 13612 8 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 40 > fiQQfi 4 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 160 3 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 6806 4 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 70 gr. 7 ^q fi . ~ 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 350 3 



This is supposed to be the darnel of the ancients, mentioned as 

 hurtful to crops of wheat. It has lived under the opprobious 

 name of weed nearly two thousand years. It appears, from the 

 trials that have been made of it here, to be incapable of outliving 

 winter frosts ; even in mild winters I never could preserve a single 

 plant under ordinary circumstances. It is never, according to my 

 experience or information, found beyond the precincts of tillage- 

 fields. It is probable, therefore, that it owes its preservation or 

 continuance in this country to the spring-sown annual crops of 

 grain. It is reasonable to conclude from this circumstance, that 

 it was not originally a native of this country, but may have been 

 mixed with the grain imported from warmer climates. 



The above statements shew the produce of one acre for one 

 year. Being strictly an annual plant, it may be easily kept under, 

 or totally extirpated, by the practice of the drill mode of hus- 

 bandry. Indeed it is never found in arable lands that are 



