524 THE GRASS FAMILY. [Avena, 



Europe and temperate Asia, extending northward into southern Scan- 

 dinavia. Frequent in England, much less so in Scotland and Ireland. 

 Fl. summer. Like A. pratensis, it varies in the glabrous or hairy leaf- 

 sheaths, and in the length of the points of the glumes. 



XIX. ARRHENATHERUM. FALSE-OAT. 



A single species, separated from Avena as having the lower flower of 

 each spikelet male only. At the same time a minute rudimentary pro- 

 longation of the axis above the upper flower shows its general affinity 

 with the Poacece, not with the Panicacece, to which it might be techni- 

 cally referred. The articulation is also above the outer glumes as in 

 Poacece. 



1. A. avenaceum, Beauv. (fig. 1201). False-Oat. An erect Grass, 2 

 or 3 feet in height, perennial, long branching knotted rootstocks. Leaves 

 few and flaccid. Panicle narrow and loose, 6 or 8 inches long, spread- 

 ing only whilst the flowers are open. Spikelets 3 to 4 lines long, 2- 

 flowered, the 2 outer empty glumes thin and pointed, the second 

 nearly as long as the flowers, the outermost rather shorter. The 

 lowest flowering glume has a fine bent awn on the middle of the back 

 about twice its own length, and contains stamens only ; the upper 

 flower is perfect, with a minute awn near the top of the glume or none 

 at all 



In meadows, hedges, and thickets, throughout Europe and western 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Common in Britain. Fl. summer. [A 

 most troublesome pest in light soils, often called Couch.'] 



XX. HOLCUS. HOLCUS. 



Panicle somewhat open, but with numerous crowded spikelets, all 2- 

 flowered ; the upper flower male only, its glume bearing a short awn ; 

 the lowest hermaphrodite, its glume usually awnless. Outer glumes 

 boat-shaped, compressed, enclosing the flowers. Axis of the spikelet 

 without hairs. 



A genus limited by most botanists to the two European species, allied 

 on the one hand to Digraph is, from which it differs in the presence of an 

 upper male flower and the want of the rudimentary scales below the 

 perfect one ; on the other to Arrhenatherum, but with a different habit, 

 and the male flower above, not below, the perfect one. 



Outer glumes about 2 lines long, rather obtuse, concealing the awn 1. H. lanatus. 

 Outer glumes nearly 3 lines long, very pointed, the awn projecting 



beyond them 2. H. mollis. 



1. H. lanatus, Linn. (fig. 1202). Woolly #. A perennial Grass, with 

 a creeping rootstock and ascending stems, 1 to 2 feet high, more or less 

 clothed, as well as the leaves, with a very short down, which gives to 

 the whole plant a pale, soft appearance. Panicle 2 to 3 inches long, of 

 a pale-whitish colour or sometimes reddish, Outer glumes about 2 

 lines long, obtuse, but often bearing a short point just below the tip. 

 Lowest flowering glume awnless, smooth and shining ; the upper one 

 thinner, its awn seldom reaching the length of the outer glumes. 



