396 WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



flower perfect, with its lower palea convex with a short awn near the 

 apex ; lowest floret staminate only, bearing a long bent awn on the back 

 below the middle ; otherwise nearly as in Avena. 



1. A. AVENA'CEUM, Beauv. Leaves flat ; panicle linear-oblong, con- 

 tracted, finally spreading ; glumes unequal, the lower one shorter than 

 the florets. 



OAT-LIKE ARRHENATHERUM. Oat-grass. Grass of the Andes. 

 Fr. Avoine elevee. Germ. Wiesen Hafer. 



Root perennial, creeping, nodose. Culm about 3 feet high, glabrous. Leaves 4 - 8 or 10 

 inches long, lance-linear, scabrous on the margin and upper surface ; sheaths striate, 

 smooth ; ligule short, retuse. Panicle linear-oblong, finally spreading and somewhat 

 nodding, the branches short, semi-verticillate. 



Cultivated lots : introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. May. Fr. July. 



Obs. This grass has been partially introduced, and cultivated, by a few 

 curious farmers ; but it does not appear to be much of a favorite, either 

 for pasture or hay, in Pennsylvania. It is sometimes called " Grass of 

 the Andes," but I know not for what reason, as it seems to be of un- 

 doubted European origin. 



FLINT in his treatise upon Grasses, speaks favorably of this grass, re- 

 marking that " it is esteemed by those who know it for its early, rapid 

 and late growth, making it well calculated for a late pasture grass." 



24. HOL'CUS, L. VELVET-GRASS. 



[An ancient Greek name, of obscure derivation.] 



Spikelets crowded in an open panicle, 2 - 3-flowered ; florets jointed with 

 their pedicels, somewhat remote, enclosed and exceeded by the membra- 

 naceous boat-shaped glumes. Lower floret perfect, but its thin lower 

 palea awnless ; upper flower staminate only, with a bent awn below the 

 tip. Stamens 3. Styles plumose to the base. Grain free, smooth. 



1. H. lana'tus, L. Softly hoary pubescent ; panicle oblong, rather 

 contracted ; awn of the staminate floret recurved, included in the glume. 



WOOLLY HOLCUS. Velvet-grass. Feather-grass. White Timothy. 

 Fr. Houque laineuse. Foin de mouton. Germ. Wolliges Honig-gras. 



Root perennial. Culm simple, 18 inches to 2 feet high. Leaves lance-linear, acute, 2-5 

 or 6 inches long ; ligule white, truncate, dentate. Panicle, oblong, somewhat dense, the 

 branches hairy. Glumes roughish-pubescent, whitish, often tinged with purple. Florets 

 both pedicellate, smooth and shining. Pdlece of the perfect floret nearly equal in length, 

 the lower one broader, keeled. of the staminate floret unequal, the lower one larger, keel- 

 ed, with a recurved or hooked awn on the back near the apex. 



Moist meadows : introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This grass is naturalized in many places in Pennsylvania. Some 



