176 BROMUS. 



38. BROMUS Linn. BROOM GRASS. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Spikelets 5-many-flowered, panicled ; glumes un- 

 equal, membranaceous, the lower 1 to 5, the upper 3 

 to 9-nerved ; lower palet either convex on the back 

 or compressed-keeled, 5 to 9-nerved, awned or bristle- 

 pointed from below the mostly 2-cleft tip, upper 

 palet at length adhering to the groove of the oblong 

 or linear grain ; stamens 3 ; styles attached below 

 the apex of the ovary. Coarse grasses, with large 

 spikelets, at length drooping on pedicels thickened 

 at the apex. 



An ancient name for the oat, from bromos, food. 



1. Bromus Secalinus, (Chess, Cheat, Willard's 

 Bromus). 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Panicle spreading, even in fruit, the drooping pen- 

 duncles little branched ; spikelets oblong-ovate, tur- 

 gid, smooth, 8 to 10 rather distant flowers ; lower 

 palet rather longer than the upper, short-awned or 

 awnless ; sheaths nearly glabrous. 



In England this plant is called goose grass. It is 

 a well-known weed in wheat and rye fields, and is 

 easily distinguished by its large hanging panicles, 

 large drooping spikelets, and the seeds, when ripe, 

 somewhat resembling rye. These seeds when ground 

 amongst flour and made into bread, impart to it a 

 bitter taste, and are said to produce the same danger- 

 ous effects as those of the bearded darnel (Lolium 

 Temeltum). 



Flowers in June and July. 



