AVENA PUBESCENS, 179 



AVENA PUBESCENS. 



LINNAEUS. SMITH. WILLDENOW. KNAPP. HOOKER AND ARNOTT. 



SINCLAIR. SCHRADER. LEERS. HOST. OEDER. 

 EHRHART. KOCH. GREVILLE. HUDSON. WITHERING. HULL. RELHAN. 



KUNTH. SlBTHORP. ABBOT. DEAKIN. 

 LIGHTFOOT. MACREIGHT. BABINGTON. REICHENBACH. RALES. 



PLATE LX. B. 



Trisetum pubescens, PERSOON. PARNELL. LINDLEY. 



Avena sesquitertia, LINNAEUS. 



The Downy Oat- Grass. 

 Avena Oat. Pubescens Downy. 



A GRASS deserving the attention of agriculturists, giving a good 

 -LA. yield, and requiring but little nourishment from the soil. 



A frequent Grass in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Native also 

 of France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Norway, and Sweden. 



Stem upright, circular, and smooth, and minutely striated, having 

 about five soft, broad, flat, hairy leaves, with the upper sheath more 

 than three times the length of its leaf, and having a conspicuous 

 membranous ligule; lower sheaths not so long as their leaves. Joints 

 three or four. Inflorescence compound-racemed or simple-panicled. 

 The basal spikelets situated on lateral branches, whilst those near the 

 apex are on brief footstalks. Panicle upright. Calyx of two unequal, 

 membranous, acute glumes, the basal one destitute of lateral ribs, and 

 shorter than the upper one. Florets of two paleee, the exterior one 

 of basal floret membranous on the upper portion; five-ribbed; colour 

 reddish purple; base hirsute. Inner palea much shorter, and exceed- 

 ingly thin. Length from twelve to twenty-four inches. Root perennial 

 and creeping. 



