484 GRAMWEjE. [Holcus. 



Meadows, copses, waysides, &c, N". to Shetland ; ascends to 1,800 ft. in 

 Yorkshire ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June-Aug. — Perennial, densely 

 tufted. Stems 6-24 in., ascending, slender, leafy. Leaves flat, soft, upper 

 sheaths inflated ; ligule short. Panicle 2-5 in., pale green or pinkish ; 

 brauches 2-3-nate. Spikelets £ in., elliptic-oblong ; empty glumes acute, 

 nerves strong. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, Siberia; introd. in N. 

 America. 



2. H. mollis, L. ; villous at the nodes, rootstock creeping, awn of fl. 

 glume exserted at length inflexed scabrid throughout. 

 Sandy and waste places, woods, &c. ; less common than H. lana'tus ; ascends 



to 1,500 ft. in N. England; fl. June-Aug. — Similar to H. lana'tus, but 



usually more slender ; glumes more scabrid and very acuminate. — Distrib. 



Europe except N. Russia, N. Africa. 



24. TRISE'TUM, Pers. 



Perennial grasses. Spikelets panicled, compressed, 2- rarely 3-6-fld. ; 

 rachilla produced, with sometimes a male fl. glume. Empty glumes mem- 

 branous, unequal, keeled, acute. El. glumes shorter, with 2 awned points 

 and an intermediate dorsal twisted awn. Palea hyaline, 2-nerved. Scales 

 membranous, lanceolate. Styles distinct, stigmas feathery. Fruit fur- 

 rowed ventrally, glabrous or tip pubescent, enclosed in the fl. glume and 

 palea. — Distrib. All temp, regions ; species 50. — Etym. tri, three, and 

 seta, from the 3-awned fl. glume. 



T. flaves'cens, Beauv. ; panicle open, branches in §-whorls, fl. glume 



2-cuspidate 3-awned. Ave 'na flaves'cens, L. 



Dry pastures from Elgin and the Clyde southd. ; ascends to 1,600 ft. in N". 

 England ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. July- Aug. — Root fibrous, stoloni- 

 ferous. Stems 1-2 ft., erect, smooth, glabrous. Leaves flat, and sheaths 

 hairy ; ligule truncate, ciliate. Panicle 2-4 in. ; branches many, capillary. 

 Spikelets f in., many, 3-4-fld., shining, yellowish; empty glumes ovate, 

 acuminate; awns very divergent. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, N.Asia, 

 Himalaya. 



25. AVE'NA, L. 



Annual or perennial grasses. Spikelets large, terete, panicled, 2- or 

 more-fld., upper flower usually imperfect. Empty glumes 2, equalling the 

 flowering, usually subequal, rather membranous, 1-11-nerved. Fl. glumes 

 more rigid, rounded at the back or 2-cuspidate, 2-fid with a long bent and 

 twisted awn from the sinus. Palea 2-nerved. Scales 2-fid. Stamens 3. 

 Ovary hirsute at the top ; styles short, distant, stigmas feathery. Fruit 

 furrowed, adherent to the glume, top hairy. — Distrib. Temp, and cold 

 regions ; species 40. — Etym. The old Latin name. 



* Annual. Spikelets at length drooping. Empty glumes 5-11-nerved. 

 1. A. fat'tia, L. ; spikelets 2-3-fld., empty glumes 9-nerved, fl. glume 

 below and pedicels hairy. Wild Oat. 



