BROMUS MAXIMUS. 173 



BROMUS MAXIMUS. 



DESFONTAINES. SMITH. 

 HOOKER AND ARNOTT. PARNELL. KUNTH. BABINGTON. RALFS. 



PLATE LVIII. 



The Great Brome- Grass. 

 Bromus Food. Maximus Great. 



A BARE British species, of no agricultural value. 

 J-JL. Found in Jersey, France, Spain, and Africa. 



Stem upright, circular, and hollow, having four or five flat, acute, 

 downy leaves, with rough margins, and with striated sheaths, the upper 

 one extending slightly beyond its leaf, and having a conspicuous ragged 

 ligule. Joints four, usually naked. Inflorescence racemed, and upright 

 in habit. The footstalks and rachis downy. The form of the spikelets 

 lanceolate; length an inch and a quarter, and having awns an inch and 

 a quarter in length; consisting of eight awned florets, and two unequal, 

 lanceolate glumes. Florets of two palese, the exterior one of basal 

 floret exceedingly rough and lanceolate, and having seven conspicuous 

 rough ribs. Awns straight and rough. , Styles two. Stigmas plumose. 

 Filaments three, and anthers notched at either extremity. Length 

 from twelve to twenty-four inches. Boot annual and fibrous. 



It is known from B. sterilis by the soft downy footstalks. 



Comes into flower in the middle of June. 



