IlOUDKiE. 020 



distinct, vory short, with feuthi'iT stigniiis. Gi'iiiu oblong, ghibi'ous 

 whon niiiturc, udliering to tlie palt'ti. 



Annuals or perennials with Ihit bhulos. Spikes terminal, often 

 quite long. 



According to some authors tlu'ro are twenty or more 8i)ecies, 

 but iJcntliatn roduccil tliem to 2 or 3. 



Indigenous to Europe, the cooler parts of Africaund Asia; culti- 

 vated in other countries also. 



The genus is at once distinguished from all others of the 

 tribe by the position of the flat spikelots with their c^Ige to the 

 racliis. 



1. Fi. I'ERENNK L. Sp. PI. 83 (1753). PkUKN'XIAL l{YK-(iKAS3 



on Kay-ouass. Daknkl. L. (lyrcsfe llort. Ko-ni. »S: Scliidt. Syst. 

 3:748 (1817), L. anmmni Kernh. Sein. Ilort. Erf. (I8(»l). L. 

 arcnarinni Kouv. ]\Ionog. ;58. L. anpcrum Hoth, Kunth, Eiium. 

 PI. 1:430 (1833). L. rnnadcnsc Bernli. Waw. .>[onog. 37. L. 

 aristatina Pers. Syn. 1:110 (1805). //. PseiKlo-italinim >Schur, 

 Euum. PI. Transs. 81'i (1SG6). L. rcmoium Schrank, Baier. Fl. 

 1:382 (1789). L. stricfiim Presl. Oyp. & Gram. Sicul. 49 (1820). 

 L. temie L. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 122 (1703). L. vuhjare ITort, Gram. 

 Austr. 1:25 (1801); and other synonyms. 



A smooth erect or slightly decumbent perennial, 00-90 cm. 

 high. Culms slightly compressed. Ligulc short; blades of sterile 

 shoots abundant, shining. Spike strict, 10-30 cm. long, slender. 

 Spikelets 8-20 in number, the lower often sej)arated 2-3 cm., obtuse 

 or acute, 8-13 mm. long; empty glumes stiff, linear-lanceolate, 

 strongly nerved, shorter than the spikelet; floral glume 0-1 G mm. 

 long, linear-oblong, obtuse, acute or rarely short-awned. 



Europe and Xorthern Asia. 



Extensively cultivated and very variable. (See p. 159 and Fig. 

 74 of Vol. I.) 



2. L. MULTiFLORUM Lam. Fl, Fr. 3:021. Italian IIye ou 

 IvAY-GKASS. L. ariHtattim Lag. Xym. Consp. 445. L. rerhinon 

 Opig. Oekon. Tcckn. Fl. lioehm. 379 (1830). X. ehimjatum llort. 

 Rouv. :Monog. 35. L. itaUcum A. Br. Flora, 17:259 (1834); and 

 other synonyms. 



